Issue 685 4 June 2018

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ISSUE 685 4 JUNE 2018 exepose.com @Exepose

THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1987

“We wish to make our disappointment in the Guild clear”

Edd Church Online News Editor

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l Jo i ra Ch e: ag Im

Some organisers concerned about misrepresentation Occupation was originally motivated by “Guild’s failure to act as a union”

scandal, are shortlisted for the category of ‘Student-led project of the year’. The rally included speakers from African and Caribbean Society, Jewish Society, Islamic Society, alongside others in order to highlight the issues of racism, antisemitism, and bigotry by giving voices to those affected.

Members of Unmask said: “Whilst we’re glad that the Guild has recognized the need for such a rally on campus, we are, however, cautious that nomination for an award may place the rally as a singular event protesting a singular incident

FEATURES

One year on from the Grenfell tragedy PAGe 11

Image: Owain Evans

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HE Exeter UnMask AntiRacism Rally and Northcote House Occupation are among the shortlisted groups and campaigns.

But both groups feel as though the awards detract from the original messages and reasons for their grassroots movements - no matter the Guild’s intentions.

The Exeter Guild Award shortlist has been released ahead of the cer-

emony next week. Hosted annually, the Guild Awards are aimed at recognising and rewarding the “inspiring and exceptional achievements of student groups, individuals and actions here at Exeter.”

Winners range from individuals, to societies, to campaigns. Previous winners have included the campaign Be The Change - Project Refugee, the Xmedia American election coverage, and RAG. Exeter UnMask’s anti-racism rally, which was created in response to incidents of racism on campus such as the recent Bracton Law Society Whatsapp

Northcote House occupation and Exeter UnMask among Guild Awards nominees

rather than a long term set of principles that should be woven into the ethos of the university. We hope that with the nomination, the Guild and University also realize that acknowledging the rally as a positive step should not just be a performative act, and that we are hoping for structural and systematic changes leading to equality and respect for all on campus.”

Similarly, the Northcote House occupation has been shortlisted for the category of Campaign of the Year. The occupation, which included members

of Exeter Students Support the UCU Strike, saw students gain entry to the John Usher room in Northcote House.

They remained there for more than a week while they attempted to get a response from the University of Exeter’s Senior Management Team regarding the ongoing strikes.

Exeter Students Support the UCU said: “Students Support the UCU would like to thank the Guild for their support during the occupation of Northcote House ...

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

SPORT

Recap of Exeter’s big sporting weekend pullout

News Editors Print: Jaimie Hampton & Gwyn Wright Online: Edd Church & Hannah Stevenson news@exepose.com Comment Editors Print: Isabelle Gray & Deepa Lalwani Online: Bea Fones & Josh Gammage comment@exepose.com

Arts + Lit Editors Print: Lauren Newman & Tabi Scott Online: Emily Pirie & Kristina Werner artsandlit@exepose.com Music Editors Print: Aaron Loose & Alex Wingrave Online: Jaysim Hanspal & Jamie Moncrieff music@exepose.com Screen Editors Print: Chloe Kennedy & Ben Faulkner Online: Harry Caton & David Conway screen@exepose.com Science Editors Print: Scarlett Parr Reid & Gabriel Yeap Online: Ayesha Tandon & Rhys Davies sciandtech@exepose.com Sport Editors Print: Josh Brown, Owain Evans & Wil Jones Online: Luke Clarkson & Ben Hart sport@exepose.com Chief Photographer Chelsea Lee photography@exepose.com Copy Editors Peter Firth, Charlotte Forrester & William Harrop Proofers Peter Firth, William Harrop, Charlotte Forrester, Aaron Loose, Graham Moore, Harry "Harry" Caton, Dorothea Christmann, Chris Allen, Bethan Gilson, Chloe Kennedy, Maddie Baker, Mubanga Mweemba

@ exepose facebook.com/exepose issuu.com/exepose Advertising Kate Watkins kate.watkins@exeterguild.com (01392) 722607 The opinions expressed in Exeposé are not necessarily those of the Exeposé Editors nor the University of Exeter Students’ Guild.

While every care is taken to ensure that the information in this publication is correct and accurate, the Publisher can accept no liability for any consequential loss or damage, however caused, arising as a result of using the information printed.

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Sally Hunt clings on to her UCU job PAGE 4

COMMENT One year on: the Grenfell community PAGE 6

FEATURES Smashing the glass ceiling PAGE 9 Image: Popular Sciene Monthly

Lifestyle Editors Print: Bethan Gilson & Rhiannon Moore Online: Katie Baker & Rowan Keith lifestyle@exepose.com

(page 7).

Still short of some holiday plans?

Lifestyle have got you covered, whether you're looking for travel advice (page 15) or the low-down on that elusive summer fling (page 16). Anybody looking for a more dramatic summertime should check out Arts + Lit, who are considering whether the arts are accessible; meanwhile, Music have got your summer playlist sorted, talking us through some of the hottest upcoming releases (page 21).

Festivals are a summer staple for many - but, asks Screen, does the Cannes Film Festival need such a strict dress code (page 25)? And if festivals aren't your thing, Science is putting in a pretty good argument for sleeping through the summer - all in the name of wellbeing (page 28).

Last but not least, we have yet another massive issue in store for all you Sport fans - not only is there the usual stellar coverage of all things university sport, but we also have a pullout chockfull of exciting content from the recent Chiefs and City finals.

And finally, we'd like to give a shoutout to last year's senior team, who have supported us through a (sometimes difficult) first three issues - from emotional support, temporarily filling vacant committee positions, to jumping in when we were both in exams.

So settle down with a cold drink (we're opting for several large pitchers of Pimms, with straws - but nonalcoholic options are available) and some sunglasses, and tuck in!

'Til next year, Megan and Graham

Image: Dana Tentis

Features Editors Print: Niamh Elstone & Neha Shaji Online: Chloë Edwards & Bryan Knight Foreign Correspondents Co-ordinator: Ellie Cook features@exepose.com

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H, summer term, how you have treated us. Exams, summer balls (we're writing this the day after our Xmedia Ball, and will just have to leave you to imagine the state the Exeposé team is in this morning), more exams, and finally, the light at the end of the tunnel that is the summer holidays.

We hope you’re all going to lie on the beach for three months straight. We’ll be very jealous!

Whatever you do, we hope you can take some time at the end of this third term to celebrate your successes this year: whether you’ve absolutely nailed your first year at university, you're getting ready to graduate next month, or you’ve struggled but you’re not giving up. Whether you’re going off to see your family, to work, on holiday, or you’re staying in Exeter - a day’s sunny weather is a perfect opportunity to celebrate your achievements.

We've got a fabulous paper full of summery content to help you out with that, and to celebrate the end of another academic year. Those of you heading down for the traditional Exmouth trip, don't forget your suncream - but even more importantly, don't forget to pack the all-important Study Break (page 26), for all your sunbathing, crossword-ing needs! Or if keeping on top of current affairs is more your mode of relaxation, settle into your sun-lounger with News, who are covering everything from RAG's sponsored charities list (page 3) to flooding in University halls (page 4).

Elsewhere, Features tackles diversity at Oxbridge (page 10), and long-time Comment fans will be overjoyed to see our special edition Summer Fruit Corner

NEWS

Image: Brandon Butterworth

Editors Print: Megan Davies & Graham Moore Deputy: Katie Jenkins & Alicia Rees Online: Harry Bunting & Natalie Keffler editors@exepose.com

Editorial

Image: Owain Evans

EXEPOSÉ

Devonshire House, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4PZ

SCIENCE Yanny, Laurel, and acoustic ambiguity PAGE 29

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE!

There are even more great articl es on the Exeposé website.

From the latest university news to current affairs, music and theatr e reviews and more, visit us at www.exepose.com

Worldwide university news Protesters evicted from Cambridge Uni

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EMBERS of the Zero Carbon Society at the University of Cambridge who have been protesting against the university's interests in the fossil fuel industry have been evicted from the Greenwich House building at the university by enforcement officers after a sit-in which lasted for one week. The university recieved a court order to remove 20 protestors by force. A spokesman said that the sit-in had caused excessive disruption for teaching and research support staff. A University spokesman said: ''This was an unauthorised occupation, and proportionate legal action was taken to bring it to a peaceful resolution.'' A spokesperson for the activists said: ''Today the univesity chose to use violence instead of engagement and negotiation.''

Images: Cambridge Zero Carbon Society (left), Thomas Nugent (right)

Dutch unis in court over English courses

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HE lobby group Beter Onderwijs Nederland is taking the universities of Maastricht and Twente to court for offering too many courses in English,.

The group's chairman Ad Verbugge said that "the law states explicitly that educational establishments should promote Dutch language skills "and singled out Maastricht and Twente for taking English language courses 'too far'. The school's inspectorate are also being taken to court for failing to act against the universities. The issue of English courses remains a topic of debate in the Netherlands and education minister Ingrid van Engelshoven is planning to announce action in June.

The Netherlands' higher education institutions said that the number of courses offered in English should be capped.

US university president resigns

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HE President of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, C.L. Max Nikias, has resigned following criticisms of the handling of a sexual misconduct scandal. The scandal involved the university's former gynecologist, Dr George Tyndall, who worked at the university clinic for almost 30 years. Dr Tyndall was reported to have repeatedly used racist and sexually inappropriate language in consultation. Seven women have filed lawauits against Dr Tyndall, and he has been fired but was not reported to law enforcement or state medical authorities. In response to this, over 400 students and alumni of the university sigend an online petition calling for Nikias to resign, with the support of 200 professors. The attorney representing Dr Tyndall's second victim said: ''Nikias' resignation is just the beginning.''

Edinburgh beat Glasgow in boat race

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HE University of Edinburgh's male and female first rowing teams have beaten their rivals from the University of Glasgow in the annunal Scottish boat race. on the River Clyde. The race was established in 1877, and is said to be the third oldest of its kind in the world. There were also other races on the day, which involved novice teams and alumni from the universities, and Edinbrugh also claimed victory in five out of six of these races. The race ran between the King George V bridge and the Glasgow science museum, and is approximately two km long. Rowing teams are made up of eight rowers and a cox, who is responsible for steering and co-ordinatring those in the boat.

Stories by Gwyn Wright, Alex Wingraveand Penny Dinh

News

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NEWS EDITORS: Jaimie Hampton Gwyn Wright

RAG announces sponsored charities

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XETER Raise and Give (RAG) have been busy over the last week encouraging people on campus to choose two charities for RAG to work with and fundraise for over the next year. The charities of choice are Community Housing Aid and Pete’s Dragons. Exeter Student Minds, who offer eating disorder support and advice to students, South West Multiple Sclerosis Centre, who provide a range of therapies and guidance for those suffering with MS, and St Petrocks, who provide beds and support for rough sleepers in Exeter., were also nominated.

Community Housing Aid is a charity aiming to reducing homelessness in Devon and have been doing so for 28 years. They provide emergency accommodation, financial advice for 16-25 year olds and ex-offenders, and prevent people being discharged from hospital homeless. The money raised by RAG for Community Housing Aid will go towards their project, Nightstop Devon.

The project aims to provide emergency overnight accommodation for homeless

We are so excited to be working with Pete’s Dragons and Community Housing Aid

help people dealing with the unexpected death of someone close to them.

RAG Co-Presidents Ella Nowroz and Halle Fowler told Exeposé: ‘‘A part of our manifesto this year, Halle and I both decided that we wanted RAG’s nominated charities to be local, giving Exeter students a chance to get more involved with our charities as well as being able to have a larger affect on smaller causes.

‘‘We are also aiming to get our nominated charities into the University more to allow students to gain more knowledge of into the issues and find out which ways they can help. Hopefully, by doing this, next year our voter turnout will be higher.

“We are so excited to be working with Pete’s Dragons and Community Housing Aid because this year because they are both local to Exeter.’’

RAG Co-Presidents

Pete’s Dragons is a charity primarily concerned with helping people through the suicide of loved ones in Devon and Cornwall. Suicide rates are highest in men aged 40-44 and in 2015 alone there were 6,639 suicides in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Pete’s Dragons focus on those who are still living after the tragic event of a loved one’s suicide.

They provide “practical advice, comforting hampers, financial assistance, holistic therapies, [and] family fun days” as well as respite at their seaside holiday retreat. They have a range of trained therapists and specialists available to

Image: Raise and Give,

Rhiannon Moore Lifestyle Editor

people between the ages of 16 and 25, supported by trained volunteers with spare rooms to offer. In the past year alone, one in five young people in the UK have ‘sofa-surfed’, and this is why Community Housing Aid and RAG aim to work together to reduce this number significantly with the help of RAG’s fundraising.

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People with poorer mental health are more likely to report that their goals hinder one another Dr Nick Moberly

It uncovered two forms of motivational conflict: inter-goal conflict and ambivalence. Inter-goal conflict occurs when the pursuit of one goal causes challenges in the pursuit of another goal, while ambivalence is associated with conflicting feelings about the pursuit of a particular

XETER’S Professor Andrew Massey has visited South Korea to celebrate the work carried out by Exeter alumni in the South Korean civil service, where they are involved in developing innovative new ways of delivering services.

When visiting Sejong City, Professor Massey gave a lecture to around 100 civil servants, the Minister for Personnel Management for the Public Sector, Professor PanSuk, and his deputy minister on how the British civil service has been restructured.

He also gave two talks at Seoul Women’s University and a lecture at the NHI in Seoul, South Korea’s main training school for senior civil servants.

Professor Massey said: “Korea is a major UK trading partner and a highly innovative country that has leading edge technology and programmes and onestop digitised service delivery. Korea is seeking to develop a range of sustainable governance programmes. Exeter alumni are helping to lead those exciting programmes.’’

League tables give mixed results

Gwyn Wright News Editor

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ESEARCHERS from the University of Exeter Medical School have launched a project which aims to improve our understanding of how to help people with dementia and their loved ones in hospital.

The study is funded by the National Institute for Health Research and is a partnership between the University, the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust and Devon Partnership Trust (DPT).

The study aims to improve experiences of hospital care for dementia patients, their carers and hospital staff.

It comes in the wake of a poll by Alzheimer’s Society which found that 92 per cent of dementia patients’ friends, families and carers felt that hospital Image: MyFuture.com

EW research carried out by the University of Exeter and Edith Cowan University has suggested that being torn about which personal goals to pursue is linked to symptoms of psychological distress, while the realisation of motivational conflict is an effective means of reducing stress.

The research was based on a study that surveyed over 200 young adults between the ages of 18 and 35, with participants’ average age being 20.

goal.

The research suggests that goal conflict occurs when goals are incompatible or when the pursuit of multiple goals leads to strain on the resources available, such as time or money. For example, a person’s desire to spend more time with their family may clash with their hopes of getting promoted at work.

The research identified ambivalence as a deeper motivational conflict that the person is unaware of. For example, a person may feel ambivalent about initiating an intimate personal relationship if this challenges the relatively abstract goal of independence. Dr Nick Moberly of the University of Exeter has stated that ‘‘ambivalence may indicate a clash between a goal and a higher-order value that lies outside awareness.

The research suggested that both these forms of goal conflict are independently associated with anxious or depressive symptoms.

Dr Nick Moberly said: ‘‘People with poorer mental health are more likely to report that their goals hinder one another.

Such conflict between goals may be manageable if it is conscious.”

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Gwyn Wright, News Editor

Goals linked to mental health Uni launches dementia project Harriet Roberts News Team

Uni celebrates links to South Korea

environments are frightening for those with dementia.

A project advisory group composed of hospital staff and people with experience of caring for dementia patients will contribute to the research.

Among the advisory group are Sue Lawrence and Julia Burton, who both have experience of caring for those with dementia. Julia said: “Hospital admittance is a worrying time for anyone, but for a person with dementia, it can cause acute confusion and anxiety. It can also be upsetting for their carers, who may fear that the person that they look after will be set back by the experience.

“I’m proud to be participating in this project which promises to ‘join the dots’ and could lead to the systematic rollout of the best possible hospital experience for people with dementia’’.

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ECENT league tables have produced mixed results for the University of Exeter. The international CWTS Leiden Ranking, which uses statistical analysis of publications as its sole metric, places it 35th internationally and 6th in the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, the University has seen a slight drop in The Guardian’s main 2019 league table, going from 13th to 14th place since last year, and after a drop from 11th place in 2017.

Nevertheless, the University improved on individual metrics, such as several measures of student satisfaction. It saw Maths improve from 37th place to 27th, and English jump up to 6th place from 11th.

Biomedical and Health Sciences rose to 28th place in CWTS Leiden, where Life and Earth Sciences are 33rd, Social Sciences and Humanities are 36th, and Maths and Computer Sciences rose by 81 places to 217th.

Professor Sir Steve Smith, ViceChancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Exeter, said: “I am delighted that Exeter has not only retained its overall position in the Leiden Rankings, but performed so strongly across its subjects as well. These rankings offer an interesting insight into just how often Exeter’s research is referenced by other academics worldwide, and demonstrated the high-quality work that is conducted by our outstanding academic community.”

Megan Davies, Editor

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4 JUNE 2018 | EXEPOSÉ

NEWS

Barrier on ocean surface reduces carbon

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CIENTISTS from the University of Exeter have teamed up with Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh and Newcastle University to publish research on the carbon uptake by the world’s oceans.

The sea acts as a ‘carbon sink’, collecting the carbon emissions such as carbon dioxide and methane and controlling the rate at which these gases are released into the atmosphere. The research will have a large effect on predicting the climate and its changes in the future.

They have found that there is a layer of biological surfactants which can reduce carbon dioxide absorption by up to 50 percent. These surfactants can be destabilised and then emit the carbon back into the atmosphere, which is expected to have a big impact on the climate and the way in which we should respond to the changes it faces The University of Exeter team, Dr Jamie Shutler and Ian Ashton, based at the Penryn Campus, were in control of the satellite element of the research, and their important findings is a key example of the university’s successes in research.

Dr Ashton said: ‘‘Combining this new research with a wealth of sattelite data available allows us to consider the affects of sufracants on gas exchange across the entire Atlantic Ocean, helping us to monitor carbon dioxide on a global scale.’’

Rhiannon Moore, Lifestyle Editor

New diabetes guidance issued

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OLLABORATION from experts in diabetes medicine and genetics has led to new guidance on treating Type 2 diabetes in the elderly. The research was led by Dr David Strain of the University of Exeter Medical School in collaboration with NHS England, and was published in the journal Diabetes Medicine last month.

The guidance will be adopted throughout Devon immediately and the authors hope that it will become part of the national guidance for GPs to help reduce complications in treating elderly adults with diabetes and improve quality of life.

Dr David Strain said: ‘‘Older adults have been systematically excluded from clinical trials and have very different ambitions for their diabetes management.

This guidance puts the older person with diabetes firmly back at the centre of target setting, ensuring that appropriate goals are agreed to acheive the best quality of life possible, without continuing treatments that would not provide any benefit and potentially cause harm.

Alex Wingrave, Music Editor

UCU Congress curtailed by staff walkouts Owain Evans Sport Editor

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XETER’S motion of no-confidence in the University and College Union (UCU) General Secretary Sally Hunt has not been debated, as the UCU Congress closed early due to staff walking out.

The motion called for Hunt to resign with immediate effect. A similar motion submitted by King’s College London called for a censure of Hunt.

However, a flyer distributed to delegates by the Unite union, who represent UCU staff including Hunt, contested that “the resignation or censure of a UCU employee is sought without any due process in a way which we believe you would find wholly unacceptable if it was proposed for a UCU member.” The flyer also threatened that “if these motions are debated, Unite will need to hold emergency meetings”.

In response to a refusal by the proposers to remove the motions, UCU leadership walked out of Congress, leading President Joanna de Groot to suspend the sitting.

After further discussions, a vote to remove the motions was put before Con-

gress, however it fell after 144 delegates opted to debate the motions. The UCU leadership then walked out of Congress once again, causing it to be suspended.

An official trade dispute was then filed between Unite members and their employer, UCU. Picket lines have since been reported.

We believe that democracy and accountability are always vital in trade unionism

Exeter UCU Congress Delegates

On Friday 1 June, Congress was closed without an agreement on the motions being reached. Instead, all further business has been reserved for a future Congress.

In a statement after the initial day of walkouts, Exeter UCU’s delegates described being “under pressure [...] from a range of sources within the union to withdraw the motion”. They also added that they “believe that democracy and accountability are always vital in trade unionism”, and that “the motions [...] represented an opportunity to chart a new way forwards for the union, one which maximises the voice of members.”

Image: Owain Evans

Halls affected by burst pipe

Occupation ‘motivated by Guild failure’ CONTINUED FROM FRONT “... and for the nomination in the Guild Awards. We appreciate particularly the support, material and otherwise, offered. However, we also wish to make our disappointment in the Guild clear.

Our decision to take such drastic action as an occupation was motivated in part by the Guild’s failure to act as a union. While we acknowledge and appreciate the help we received from the Guild, our campaign was not a Guild campaign, and we reject attempts to legitimise it as one. However, as we believe our action forced the hand of the Guild to improve this year, and so we hope the improvement will continue

into next year.”

A Students’ Guild spokesperson said: “The Guild Awards exist to recognise and celebrate the incredible work of the student body and its achievements during the course of the year, be it a project, campaign, event or ongoing work of an individual or group. The nominations are created by students and the efforts of those nominated and awarded are examples of fantastic leadership and innovation which reflect the values that the Guild holds; be it a Guild event, a Guild society, or the work of passionate and motivated students working independently – the awards are all about the students.”

Photo: Deepa Lalwani Image: University of Exeter Students Guild

Gwyn Wright News Editor

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EVERAL halls at the University were affected by mainaenace work to fix a burst pipe on 28

May. The burst pipe affected Lafrowda, St German’s, Rowe House, Pennsylvania Court and Lopes Hall.

My friend’s room is still quite damp

Pennsylvania Court resident

The burst pipe caused the water in some halls to stop working for several hours, and has caused flooding in some rooms. An email later informed

students that the issue was caused by a water main that had to be fixed.

A first year student who lives in Pennsylvania Court told Exeposé: “It caused some problems when the water went back on because some people had left their taps on when the water wasn’t working and then when the water turned back on several rooms got flooded, and flooded the rooms below them. My friend’s room is still quite damp.’’

A University of Exeter spokesperson said: ‘‘South West Water carried out work to fix a burst mains water pipe last weekend. ‘‘Students had access to bottled water and the issue was fixed as soon as possible.’’

Image: University of Exeter

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4 JUNE 2018 | EXEPOSÉ

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Comment

COMMENT EDITORS:

Deepa Lalwani Isabelle Gray

One year on: the Grenfell community

Isabelle Gray Comment Editor

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be done with the building. I’m sure it’s an issue that is controversial, but for me, the fact that nothing has been done really speaks to how the working class is treated in this country. In the words of one spokesperson for collective, Radical Housing Network, the government’s lack of action demonstrates “yet another refusal to confront... a housing system in which some people matter more than others.”

It’s a constant reminder of what has not been done Grenfell Tower is, I believe, one of the most significant things to happen in my lifetime and it’s something I will never forget. Until effective changes occur I won’t stop talking about it and people will not stop marching every month. We cannot rely on the government for our closure, our hope. We have to rely on each other. Being from South London, I’ve been taught that whether you’re

from an estate or a massive mansion, we have to look after each other. At the end of the day we’re all people, we all see and experience real life everyday. The number of stabbings across London is on the rise; nothing seems to be stopping it. Three of my friends from school are already in prison just as a result of growing up unlucky, trapped in a system that seems to work against them. And the people of Grenfell, a beautiful community from all walks of life that truly worked together as a family, were rewarded by being burned to death. Without much of an apology. With limited options for new housing, new chances. Without being told what is going to be done to make it right.

The people of Grenfell are people

to aspire to. In even the darkest of times, they find a way to be positive and keep fighting. All of us, Londoners or not, should follow this. At first I thought I’d end this saying that we are ALL Grenfell.

But then I realised that I still have a home and my family, and I don’t have to see the place my loved ones died everyday.

And we should remember that distinction: although we will never truly understand the pain the community surrounding Grenfell has been through, what we should all do is keep on doing whatever we can to create closure and soothe this pain in any way possible, starting with the family mentality of the Grenfell community.

Image: Garry Knight

HE fire that destroyed Grenfell Tower happened almost a year ago today. With many lives lost, a community survived. I would say it’s a community that is stronger than ever, but that would be to understate the lack of choice in that strength.

And that, inevitably, it would have been a lot stronger without the tragedy that occurred on that day. I was born and raised in London, and although Grenfell is not in my area, whenever I pass by that burnt building, it’s a painful reminder that makes me think of my own neighbourhood. A good few of my mates, family friends, people I love, live in flats just like Grenfell. For all we know, the cladding on those buildings could be bust too. It’d only take a spark, an innocent accident, to find out.

In keeping with this thought, I wonder what it would feel like to walk

past the building everyday. Luckily, I only have to witness such a cruel sight when I’m in the area - if I feel upset, I can just go home. The people who knew the victims, those that live nearby, the survivors: they don’t have such a luxury.

They have to walk past a shell of a former home. It’s a constant reminder of what has happened; a constant reminder of what also has not been done. If you go to Grenfell, you can see how members of the community have done their best to make the area feel once again like a safe place, with small personal memorials lining the surrounding streets, dedicated to those who lost their lives. Flowers, murals; you can really see the heart of the people who lived there. Yet nothing has been done about the building itself.

I’m sure murals are comforting, but this won’t change how people can still imagine the flames when they look at the building. How can people grieve in peace when the tower still looms so threateningly? There are still no concrete plans or date set about what is going to

Monarch-nay?

Carys Wilkinson Contributor

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HE royal nuptials that took place on Saturday 19 May were expected to be the most watched TV event of the year and indeed around 11 million viewers were watching in the UK. A staggering 29.2 million people watched from the United States, a figure that far surpasses Prince William and Kate Middleton’s 2011 wedding. Despite this, the wedding was not well received by all and anti-monarchists were given the green light to host an anti-royal wedding protest.

When it emerged earlier this year that the council leader for the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Simon Dudley, had called for police to move rough sleepers and beggars away from the area for the event, the group Republic contacted the Thames Valley police to seek permission and reassurance that any protest on the day would be peaceful.

Many also questioned how we could justify the estimated £32 million that the event cost. On a weekend that also saw the beginning of the Grenfell Tower inquiry,

it was troubling to see that most national newspapers didn’t deem this worthy of a position on a front page but rather, across ten national newspapers, over 280 pages were dedicated to the topic of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding.

Grenfell could easily have been avoided had appropriate materials been used that passed the basic safety test. The council saved £293,000 by downgrading the material used to clad the tower; roughly the same amount as the royal wedding spent on the music alone. While the royal family paid for the wedding in its entirety and therefore unlike Grenfell Tower it was not taxpayer money being used, it still seems abhorrent that 71 people were killed in a fire that could easily have been avoided.

The monarchy itself, according to Republic, is an outdated institution and they believe that rather than an arbitrarily chosen monarch who is in the position by the luck of birth alone, we should have a democratically elected head of state. A great many people like the Queen, and indeed as a person she is probably perfectly nice but the

custom and establishment she represents are the problem. A large majority of the population have grown up with and always known the Queen to be the head of state and as such we don’t know any different.

When the Queen does pass away, Charles will be next in line and automatically becomes the leader. In a country that prides itself on being a democracy, a King that ascends to the throne by no other

Image: LNOF Royalty Free

reason than he was born into the right family and the right time, seems to question just exactly what kind of democracy we are.

Aside from these more serious criticisms of the monarchy and the royal wedding comes the merchandise that, quite frankly, only further ridicules the whole matter. At the top of the hilarious products that emerged for Harry and Meghan’s wedding is a rather bizarre box of royal wedding condoms. The regallooking box has the couple’s beaming faces on the top and inside you find “four condoms fit for a prince”. A bold claim in itself; this is then topped by the proud suggestion that these are “the only condoms in the world to play an exclusive arrangement of God Save the Queen and Star-Spangled Banner”. I have absolutely no idea what to make of that suggestion and I’m happier living in blissful ignorance.

Another delightful souvenir available, should you so wish, are swimming costumes emblazoned with the faces of the royal couple. At a bargain of just £38, you and a plus one of your choice can walk around the swimming pool on holiday with Harry or Meghan

staring out from your torso. And to top it all off, royal wedding sick bags are also being sold, just in case the celebrations all get a bit too much. You guessed it - the bag does indeed have the faces of Harry and Meghan in a rather stylised image for you to upload your stomach contents onto and bears the quip “Another duke to make you puke”.

Over 280 pages were dedicated to the wedding in the news Honestly, if I get married and in the weeks afterwards don’t have condoms, swimsuits or sick bags with my face on them, I will be quite alright with that.

So really, as beautiful as the wedding was, and as sacred as a ceremony might be, maybe it would have been better if the wedding had stayed the private intimate affair it was arguably supposed to be. We can like the individuals in the royal family as human beings, but as an institution the monarchy itself is problematic and the notoriety that the recent wedding garnered only serves to highlight this.

EXEPOSÉ | 4 JUNE 2018

COMMENT

7

The Lemmy’s renaissance Alicia Rees Deputy Editor

S

ATURDAY 26 May marked the rebirth of a legend. Like a phoenix from the ashes, Saturday Lemmy has returned. Kind of. “Lost Saturdays” as it is now affectionately titled, promised a “huge, naughty affair with an extra side of fun”. It was definitely huge, in as much as the queue stretched back to the business school and it took 45 minutes to buy a pitiful VK.

Like a phoenix from the ashes, the Lemmy has returned The atmosphere was slightly less school disco than before, being more like a top-secret rave for 16 year olds

whose only dance move is to do finger guns and make a face that suggests there is an extremely unpleasant smell in the air. It was the kind of night you’d get if DSP and Thursday Fever had an illegitimate child; a lovely thought but way too much shit to clean up after.

As far as a launch night goes, it wasn’t fantastic. It was similar to a cucumber sandwich that had been left out of the fridge for too long and had gone slightly limp. It certainly wasn’t the wild Saturday from my time as a fresher. Never again will I be found staggering up Forum Hill after spending 30 minutes trying to open a random flat door using Apple Pay. Never again will I expect to see Clean Bandit and end up with a DJ simply playing their music. Saturday Lemoir gave me some of the

best and some of the messiest nights of my life and that is something that

Image: Exeter Students’ Guild

can never be replaced - regardless how many Broncos are provided for me to

buck. Will these “Lost Saturdays” go the distance when the new bunch of Freshers descend in September?

As we all know, Saturday Lemmy is an institution that all freshers must attend, especially those of you who live in Lafrowda. However, it was the appalling lack of fresher participation that led to the death of the original Saturday Lemmy back in February. I’m not convinced that these “Lost Saturdays” will be enough to overtake the TP powerhouse. Even Unit 1 is struggling to pull in the punters, their only busy day being the unbreakable Cheesy Tuesdays. In order for Saturday Lemmy to retake its rightful place as Queen of Saturday Nights, it better have something good up its sleeve. More bar staff would be a good start, and maybe lessons for some of those on the other side of the bar who think it’s appropriate

to scream profanities until they get served. Also, if there are to be two DJs, make them different. Drum and Bass is great for a solid seven minutes then give me the Beyoncé I’m craving and I’ll stop whining. Hey, perhaps the organisers could go wild and get actual legit acts to play there or make everything glittery. If there’s glitter, you know there’ll be a full house. Or even just bring back Saturday Lemmy as it was in the glory days, with just an extra sprinkle of pizzazz.

If there’s glitter, you know there’ll be a full house Although the Lemmy has, like Lazarus, risen from the dead, it is not and will never be the same. Goodbye old pal, you shall be missed.

SUMMER FRUIT CORNER blueberries

GOOSEBERRIES

STRAWBERRIES

Alex Wingrave Music Editor

Tash Ebbutt Contributor

Olivia Powell Contributor

HEY’RE more indigo than they are blue, but these berries are a sure summer superfood. Though a majority of the ones you’ll find in a supermarket are flown in from abroad, blueberries do grow in the UK and are a fantastic local summer fruit.

Not only are blueberries a fantastic source of vitamins C and K, which protect your cells and help iron absorption, but they’re also a good source of fibre - important for healthy digestion. They also contain high amounts of anthocyanidins, which give them their distinctive hue and are a powerful antioxidant, effective in combatting a number of health conditions, including cardiovascular disease.

While they’re quite an expensive fruit, especially on a student budget, you can also make the humble blueberry go far.

By either buying frozen or freezing fresh ones, blueberries can last for weeks, and taste great in smoothies or on top of your morning cereal. They’re also very versatile - a few blueberries will brighten up any salad, whether it’s a fruity one for dessert or a fancy summer side dish with ham and fresh leaves. And who can resist a warm blueberry muffin, or pancakes smothered in maple syrup with a few of these blue beauties sprinkled on top? The blueberry might be small, but it is mighty, and as the days are getting warmer, there’s nothing better than some delicious fresh fruit to compliment the countless ciders and ice creams.

Image: Free-Photos (Pixabay)

I

CAN still remember my first encounter with the dreaded gooseberry. Back when fruit picking farms were all the rage, I was eight, it was summer and in my basket, was an abundance of strawberries and raspberries.

But then the gooseberry caught my eye. I instantly plucked one from the bush, entranced by its green orb like existence. It was not the sweet bliss I had anticipated, I was instead greeted by a sour, vicious gremlin that danced on my taste buds with a fiery vengeance. Perhaps it was karma, after all I had just stolen a gooseberry, but that foul taste lives on all these years later.

So why would you willingly consume this bitter little demon? To my older eye it’s not even an aesthetic looking fruit - if anything it resembles a mouldy eyeball, and if that’s not enough to put you off then there’s the whole baby myth. I don’t know about you, but one of the classic responses to where babies come from in my house was the whole “found you under a gooseberry bush” line.

Why would you want to consume such a seedy fruit, whose plant hides babies under its boughs? A real sourpuss of the summer fruit parade, you certainly won’t catch me pinching one of those rotten eggs again.

Image: neurovelho

I

F I had to pick a fruit that epitomises a summer’s day, I would choose strawberries. These bright red beauties are soft, sweet and refreshingly juicy, meaning they are the perfect companion to any summer activity. On the first day the sun hit during the Easter holidays (and bear in mind I live up North – truly a day worth celebrating) I walked my happy self to our local Co-op and bought a punnet of strawberries to eat with my family for lunch.

Strawberries are versatile – you can cover them in toppings like cream or chocolate, you can place them delicately on top of desserts, you can even put them in a salad and they will always taste delicious as they burst on your tongue after just one bite. They look great too; they have a shiny, beautiful red hue studded with yellow seeds and have a lovely green stem and leaf to top it all off. Speaking of the stem, strawberries are one of the cleanest fruits because of this very thing – no need to get your hands covered in sticky juice when you can delicately hold them and lower it into your mouth. They’re also stoneless, so the only cleanup is throwing the leaves away (which you can eat, and can apparently help with bloating, but I prefer not to).

Choose the humble strawberry – you won’t regret it.

Image: US Dept. of Agriculture

Images: Xiong Chiamiov / Dawn Hudson

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EXEPOSÉ| 4 JUNE 2018

9

Features

FEATURES EDITORS: Niamh Elstone Neha Shaji

Who run the world?

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Carys Wilkinson discusses women’s struggle to break through the glass ceiling

IGHTS for women have come a long way. For instance, the recent vote to overturn the eighth amendment in Ireland was a historical ruling that will result in more freedom of choice for women. However, by no means would it be right to say that women have achieved complete equality. The metaphorical ‘glass ceiling’ is still very much an obstruction that women fight to shatter on a daily basis.

Our news feeds are flooded with strong women, but they tend to, and I speak generally here, be Western figures that have been given a foot in the door by their social or economic background.

Certain names are recognisable to us all: Emma Watson, Malala Yousafzai, Michelle Obama. By no means do I wish to diminish what they stand for and the work they have done but there are hundreds of thousands of women who work day in, day out to break through the misogynistic attitudes that surround them. It is only fair that we recognise them too.

They are doing important things to benefit women around the world Dating apps have particularly taken off in recent years and are becoming increasingly popular, however with dating apps come a host of issues surrounding harassment.

A recent survey by YouGov revealed 41% of female millennials have reported receiving unsolicited explicit photos. Tinder is the biggest dating app on the scene and it was co-founded by Whitney Wolfe Herd in 2012. Herd, however, left the company in 2014 amongst growing tensions surrounding a sexual harassment law suit that she filed against Tinder and its parent company.

Herd has since become CEO of her own company, Bumble, a dating site similar to Tinder apart from that when heterosexual couples match up, only

the woman can send the first message.

Herd believes that this app will have a long-term effect on relationships by instilling the confidence in women to start conversations. Bumble presents itself as a dating app that doesn’t inundate you with corny pick-up lines or unwanted pictures.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie may be known to some as the author of the novel Purple Hibiscus, a novel that tends to crop up in many secondary schools. She was born in Nigeria, one of six children to parents that both worked in the University of Nigeria.

Adichie’s books don’t shy away from tackling issues that may make readers uncomfortable. Her first novel, Purple Hibiscus, was published when she was only 16 and portrays a troublingly abusive childhood set in a Nigeria shaken by a military coup. Beyond her novels, Adichie has done TED talks, one of which was entitled ‘We should all be feminists’, a section of which was sampled in Beyoncé’s song ‘Flawless’.

Adichie, however, told Lisa Allardice at The Guardian that ‘Another thing I hated was that I read everywhere: now people finally know her, thanks to Beyoncé, or: she must be very grateful. I found that disappointing. I thought: I am a writer and I have been for some time and I refuse to perform in this charade that is now apparently expected of me: ‘Thanks to Beyoncé, my life will never be the same again.’ That’s why I didn’t speak about it much.’ Adichie doesn’t want her own success to come off the back of someone else.

Image: Melissaflor

Women want to empower women and help boost each other’s successes.

However, Adichie gets irritated by what she sees as the solipsism of much modern feminist discourse. Adichie has also dealt with being undermined and questioned by men. Adichie reveals in an interview with Emma Brockes at The Guardian that during a question-andanswer session a man said “I’ve read all your books. But since you started this whole feminism thing, and since you started to talk about this gay thing, I’m just not sure about you anymore.

How do you intend to keep the love of people like me?” Adichie simply responds “Keep your love… because, sadly, while I love to be loved, I will not accept your love if it comes with these conditions.” Adichie appears to advocate intersectional feminism which takes every woman into account, both as an individual and as a part of society.

Hundreds who had the courage to come forward and speak up about sexual assault

I herald the ‘Silence Breakers’, named as Times Mgazine’s Person of the Year 2017. There was no single person that defined and sparked cultural change in 2017 but rather the hundreds who had the courage to come forward and speak up about sexual assault in all shapes and sizes. People from all backgrounds from famous actors to pop stars, to housekeepers and hotel workers had a shared experience which for better or for worse bought them together and it was they who were being celebrated. To name but a few:

Rose McGowan, Terry Crews, Alyssa Milano, Tarana Burke (who coined the #MeToo hashtag).

These are names that have appeared on news headlines, magazine covers and social media forums of all kinds but there are those whose names never surface or that we never remember that are just as important. Juana Melara was a housekeeper who kept quiet about

hotel guests who harassed or exploited hotel staff who were then too scared of losing their jobs to come forward.

Six women who worked at New York City’s famous Plaza Hotel filed a sexual harassment law suit against the hotel and the list only grows from there.

There are women of every race, class, religion and age and no one is exempt.

Yet, all these women, inspired by others have stepped forward to try and tear down the misogynistic practices that surround them and keep their assault under wraps.

From one award to another, I now look to Jocelyn Bell Burnell. In the late 1960s she discovered the first radio pulsar, a kind of neutron star, as part of her postgraduate research project but was overlooked for the Nobel Prize in favour of the two men who worked alongside her on the project. Martin Ryle and Antony Hewish, a fellow researcher and supervisor respectively, went to collect the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1974 for the discovery despite the fact Burnell’s name was second of the winning paper’s five authors. Despite being spurned for the award, Burnell didn’t let it hinder her and instead went on to continue breaking ground for women including serving as president of the Royal Astronomical Society and the Institute of Physics. In 2015, she was awarded the Prudential Women of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award and is a role model for all students but particularly girls embarking in STEM subjects, a typically male-dominated field.

These are only a handful of strong women in the world today and there are hundreds of other women from all walks of life that I could have discussed but to do so would take a lot more than a thousand or so words. We receive an influx of information about strong women but the first results tend to feature the same 20 or 30 people.

This is fine; they are strong, and they are independent and they are doing important things to benefit women around the world but behind this group are a whole host of unseen women doing small things on a day to day basis that crack and splinter the glass ceiling that still hovers above all our heads.

The Independent describes life as a woman in the UK in 2018

9% In the UK men earn on average 9% more than women

$10 trillion $10 trillion: the estimated value of unpaid work performed by women every year across the world (twice as much as men do)

£6,300 If the gender pay gap were to be closed today, women would on average receive a £6,300 annual wage increase

23% Only 23% of the world’s politicians are women

4 JUNE 2018 | EXEPOSÉ

10

Airbrushed insecurities

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Rhiannon Moore, Lifestyle Editor, discusses the social issues associated with photoshop culture

OR decades, the use of computer software has been making it increasingly easy to manipulate photos of models and celebrities, with the belief that if a slim woman with baby-smooth white skin is wearing a bikini, it will sell. This software has slowly crept into our everyday lives and now, within a few taps, a 12-yearold can download a smartphone app to remove acne from a selfie. It’s rare to see pictures in magazines without them being altered to depict an unnatural version of ‘beauty’, and at the risk of sounding like a broken record, this culture is incredibly toxic and far more needs to be done to alter the attitudes of the public, rather than the pictures.

This puts an enormous amount of pressure on men and women alike There is a constant need to hide our natural bodies, because without the things that make us human, we are ‘more beautiful’. Stretch marks are

removed from photos of women in shorts, men’s torsos are altered to be flawlessly chiselled, and in razor adverts aimed at women, the models are filmed shaving an already hairless long leg. This puts an enormous amount of pressure on men and women alike. Naturally, we don’t tend to have bodies like this. Instead, we have red, purple and white stripes on our inner thighs and acne scars from when we foolishly

every single day to confirm to body ‘ideals’ which are unreachable for the entire population? Without delving too far into body politics and hegemony, the answer lies within the need to sell products to passive consumers at whatever cost to the individual.

Despite this, there are a few companies fighting back. ASOS have stopped editing stretch marks, acne scars and uneven skin on their models, with many of the photos remaining completely untouched. It’s changes like these which have the possibility of making a difference in the body image of an entire generation. However, not every company and influential figure is up to speed. Just a few weeks ago, Kim Kardashian posted a promotional Instagram photo advertising appetite suppressing lollipops. She went under fire for this choice and later deleted the photo. But we can only imagine the impact this post will have had on people suffering with bad body image, looking for a superficial fix rather than learning to love their bodies

picked at spots during our teenage years. But why are these natural aspects of the human body not shown in media? Why are we Image: Godisable placed under immense pressure

instead. Despite the post being deleted, the very existence of companies such as Flat Tummy Co. are indicative of a society stuck in a cycle of trying to achieve bodies we simply do not have.

The possibility of making a difference in the body image of an entire generation The sceptic in me believes that ASOS perhaps only started to not edit their models’ bodies to speak to a generation tired of the pressure that we all fit into one type of body, and it is simply a marketing ploy to get us to shop there rather than elsewhere. But even if this is the case, if it makes one man or one woman feel like they are not the only person unable to attain this ‘perfect’ body shape, then surely that is progress.

Ideally, companies like Flat Tummy Co. would not exist, but small changes by Image: Kremlin the likes of ASOS indicate that a change in attitude toward our bodies is in the air, and I for one cannot wait to see it unfold.

The Oxbridge rejection

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Megan Davies, Editor, discusses the traditionalism and diversity issues at Oxbridge

AVID Lammy’s criticism of Oxbridge, calling Oxford “a bastion of entrenched, wealthy, upper class, white, southern privilege,” examines a university that has experienced multiple racism scandals over the last few years. Criticism continues to be aimed at Oxbridge for being traditionalist and incredibly white.

Only last year, 14 black male Cambridge undergraduates posed for a photo together - a total of 15 black males had been admitted in 2015/16.

Even including women, only just over 1% of students admitted in that year identified as black. Though the students involved explained that their photo was intended to set a positive example to other black young men, it does also seem symptomatic of a culture of traditionalism that can do more harm than good, dreaming spires notwithstanding, perpetuating white upper-class students’ privilege.

Last month, Cherwell found that Oxford had admitted more students from Westminster College, an exclusive private school in London, than black students. Lammy called the figures “selfperpetuating”, saying: “If you’re on the 20th floor of a tower block estate and

you’re getting straight As, you apply, go for a difficult interview... you don’t get in, then none of the other kids apply the following year.” David Lammy’s FOI showed that about 80% of Oxbridge offers went to students with parents in top jobs: their parents are doctors, lawyers and senior managers.

The University of Cambridge says that this is because they admit students based on grades only (and, presumably, students whose families can afford private schooling also get the best grades).

Not only does this affect individuals who are less likely to enter top institutions - and by extension, to achieve the highest levels of responsibility professionally - but it affects the country as a whole, as Oxbridge grads are, in the end, the people who are going to run the country.

75% of senior judges are Oxbridgeeducated, as are 59% of the Cabinet and 50% of diplomats, according to a 2014 government report. If these powerful institutions are so full of Oxbridge graduates, then their experiences seem likely to shape policies and rulings that

dictate the life of the entire country.

In responding to Lammy’s tweet, Ceri Thomas - Oxford’s Director of

Image: Chris McAndrew

Public Affairs - admitted that there was “work to do”.

However, Oxbridge aren’t the only culprits. They are a part of a culture

that disadvantages BAME and workingclass students: in fact, according to an Exeposé Freedom of Information request, just 13% of 2017 graduates from the University of Exeter identified as BAME. In 2015/16, the average for entrants at university nationally was 29%. (For context, the Exeter figure refers to students graduating, while the national figure refers to students starting university.)

University management bodies, from my (limited experience of) encounters with them, seem conscious that they have room to improve in terms of accessibility for BAME and Widening Participation students. Indeed, Russell Group universities that typically attract the most fortunate students are in a great position to create a change in society - by choosing who to admit, they can change the way that governments and institutions will look in the future; and for nowhere is this power as marked as it is for Oxford and Cambridge.

A University of Exeter spokesman said: “The University of Exeter has an

unwavering commitment to improving access for students to higher education, regardless of their background. Our fair and transparent admissions process is based on a number of factors, including the students’ ability, achievements and commitment. Since 2007 Exeter has seen the number of applications from UK-domiciled Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) students double, and subsequently a threefold increase in offers made, while the proportion of BAME students in our UK-based student population has also doubled.

“Nevertheless, we recognise that the improvements in diversity of our student population were from a low base and we striving to further increase our appeal to students from BAME communities and under-represented groups through targeted partnership activity, including our work with the charity Generating Genius. We continue to strive to ensure that the University of Exeter is recognised as an inclusive centre of educational excellence where a diverse student and staff community supports and promotes personal development and academic success for all students.”

FEATURES

EXEPOSÉ | 4 JUNE 2018

11

In the face of fire

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Edd Church, Online News Editor, discusses the Grenfell tragedy one year on

N the night of 13-14 June 2017, a faulty Hotpoint fridge-freezer sparked a fire in Grenfell Tower, North Kensington.

The fire spread across the tower’s flammable cladding, eventually consuming the entire building and claiming 71 lives. Grenfell Tower still stands, scheduled for destruction in the near-future, while a public inquiry continues into how exactly these people died, and many more lost their homes.

A media storm of shock and confusion gathered in the immediate aftermath of the fire and continues to this day, as we reach the one-year anniversary of the fire. While official investigations are ongoing, questions regarding the cause, appropriate blame, and whether or not enough has been done since the event, are still left unanswered.

How safe is Lancaster West, and what risks might be lurking in Grenfell?

Plans to renovate the decades-old Grenfell Tower were presented to the public in 2012 in association with the

Kensington & Chelsea Tenancy Management Organisation (KCO).

Among the aims of the renovation, put forward alongside the Kensington Academy and Leisure Centre project, were the optimisation “of space in the tower”, further “efficient and economically viable” communal heating solutions, and the improvement of the tower block and the area as a whole. Funding was secured for the renovation prior to the plans being released. However, a report by The Independent in 2017 suggested that a borrowing cap on local spending impeded the securing of the total £100m needed for the whole project.

Records from 2014 displayed that the now-infamous flammable cladding, which accelerated the fire spread, was chosen over more a more fire-retardant option to save £293,000.

Not lacking in pressure from local authorities, the Local Government Association suggested limits like the borrowing cap for councils, brought in under the coalition government, were "unnecessary". The slashing of fire services funding has also been tied to the catastrophe of Grenfell. Parliament UK’s website published a report on 15 February 2016 which

highlighted the cuts which had been implemented since 2011. The report reads: “Since 2010-11 income from the Department for Communities and Local Government – which has primary responsibility for funding the fire sector – has fallen significantly.

The NAO found the Government reduced funding for fire and rescue authorities by between 26% and 39%.

Its investigation also revealed that spending power has fallen most in areas assessed by the department as having "highest levels of fire need."

Despite a 2013 report by former Chief Fire and Rescue Advisor Sir Ken Knight suggesting that cuts "incentivised efforts at achieving greater efficiency", these cuts are not insignificant in terms of a threat to public well-being and safety. It is difficult to find a statistical causation between the cuts and the number of deaths at Grenfell but denying the effects of fewer fire staff, and less equipment, would be foolish. The Conservative Party likes to emphasise the lack of a “Magic Money Tree” out of which money for services falls, but a backgrounding of public safety for the sake of “efficiency” highlights the pitfalls of such a clinical and fiscalfocused style of government. Austerity and the mistakes of the central United Kingdom government cannot be ignored as a contributing factor to the victims of Grenfell.

Denying the effects of fewer fire stuff, and less equipment, would be foolish

Image: Chirai John

Nor can negligence from the local authorities. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea were warned by the Grenfell Action Group (GAG) as early as 2013 of the dangers residents faced due to poor fire safety practices. Grenfell’s renovation left out key safety measures like sprinklers which could potentially have saved countless lives, with the GAG's blog highlighting how there were fire extinguishers so old they had expired. In response to the accusations, the GAG was threatened with a lawsuit by a Kensington and Chelsea legal representative.

GAG’s blog continued in January 2016 by stating “we must

ask how safe is Lancaster West [the area around Grenfell Tower], can staff be trusted to ensure it is safe, and what hidden fire risks might be lurking in Grenfell Tower or elsewhere on the estate?”

As is apparently the theme of this issue, people with the power to help evidently saw signs that something could have gone horribly wrong—this was not an invisible problem.

In fact, the central government, media, and local authorities of the UK were not without historical precedent for this. Poorly-regulated British highrise construction in the housing ‘boom’ of the 50s, 60s, and 70s saw an entire corner of Ronan Point in Canning Town, London, collapse due to a small gas explosion in 1968 (two months after the building had opened). The collapse, which killed four and injured 17, was found to be due to weak loadbearing walls which gave way. It led to the Fifth Amendment to the Building Regulations in 1970, and should have stood as a testament to the hazards of cost-cutting or lack of care towards high-rise dwellings. It appears, though, that this tragedy served as no such testament to the KCO, the media, or the central government of the United Kingdom.

In the immediate aftermath of the fire, visits from politicians and other figures ranged in their approach.

Where the Queen and Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn spoke to victims, Prime Minister Theresa May was met with heavy criticism for her failure to do so, citing security reasons. This displays the type of response which 'Channel 4' News journalist Jon Snow attacked much of the media for at a lecture in August of last year. Snow’s keynote speech included how reporting on the fire compelled him to feel “on the wrong side” of the social “gulf between us all” due to the cries from Grenfell residents, asking where the media had been before. For all the investigative journalism which comes from the UK press, the media clearly missed the same signs which the government and Kensington and Chelsea authorities did.

Rehousing of victims began quickly after the fire. Or, rather, the victims began their navigation through the process of rehousing. As of April 2018, 19 households of the 211 which needed rehousing were yet to accept a final housing offer. Far from being particular, ex-resident Mahad Egal, in an interview with 'Inside Housing', described some of the homes offered

as “shambolic” and not adhering to the requirements of Mr Egal and his family due to the PTSD from which he now suffers.

This is not the only inconsistent promise which has come about since last June. Despite an initial promise from Prime Minister May that the immigration status of victims would not be checked when applying for financial support, a statement from the government showed that they could be deported within twelve months as per standard legislation.

More can be done to establish blame and bring people to account Attempts to remedy the issue include the granting of victims £202,000— £500 in cash each, and a further £5000 to a bank account— by late June of 2017. Of course, there is also the ongoing public inquiry which included a set of commemoration hearings which started on 21 May 2018 aimed at giving "an opportunity for the families of those who lost their lives in the fire to provide a tribute of them for the Inquiry record." Within this inquiry, the families of victims have accused authorities of ceasing attempts to save people from the fire too soon. Assema Kedir Habib, sister of 44-year-old Hashim Kedir who died in the fire, asked why the government didn't try to do more to "at least save their dead bodies". The inquiry itself faced criticism with regard to its terms of reference, being slated for being a technical assessment which would not go far enough to look at “housing policy failings”. Fire safety tests to other buildings have also been conducted since the fire, the results of which showed 165 out of 173 failing, including student accommodation.

With no end in sight, it appears far more can be done to establish blame, bring those responsible to account, and deal with the fallout which still affects victims to this day. Grenfell Tower is an example of disadvantaged members of British society being neglected by everyone from the Conservative government to the liberal mainstream press. While it may be tempting to call this an open-and-shut case of incompetence, the reality is far more complex. So many signs were ignored from across a wide spectrum of society. Further support, investigation, and legislation cannot come quickly enough.

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Summer on the mind

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T present, there are approximately 3 million people in the UK diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and approximately 1 in 10 people will experience debilitating anxiety during their lifetime. These incomprehensible figures fail, of course, to account for those who do not receive an official diagnosis, so the actual figure is likely millions more. During the summer months, the general anxiety of individuals of all genders and backgrounds is increased, with the pressures of summer clothing, travel anxiety, and future plans.

We all have our different ways of coping with these struggles, and we all experience anxiety in a different way. No experience of anxiety is the same. However, the summer months also offer a time for an array of opportunities which allow us to escape our usual routine of wake up-uni-eat-sleep. The many ways to spend your summer are endless - summer flings, barbecues, travelling across the globe? The most important thing to remember however, is there is no ‘right’ way to relax and spend your time off, whatever is best for you is the way to go. The only rule is that you get a well deserved rest over the next few months.

Have a great summer and we’ll see you in September!

Bethan Gilson and Rhiannon Moore, Lifestyle Editors

Image: Caju Gomes

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Lauren Geall reflects on concluding her time at Exeter

T'S a common joke amongst the student community that there is one thing you should never ask a final year: “What are you doing after uni?” We’ve spent practically our whole lives in education, and graduation marks the time when this chapter of our lives comes to an end for many of us. The future is always unknown territory, but it seems even more daunting when you’ve got such a big change of lifestyle ahead of you.

THE BIGGEST CHANGE WILL BE FEELING THAT I'M GETTING PRETTY OLD

nalism is supposed to be quite intense – I’ll be going from 4 hours a week to more than that in a day.

But, perhaps it won’t be too bad. If you think about it, it’s just another step up in responsibility, comparable to moving out of home and coming to university. We like to joke about graduation as this big, scary step into the abyss, but in reality, it’s simply a chance to move on and pursue the things we want to achieve; to embark on the next part of our journey. Don’t get me wrong, I love Exeter and have thoroughly enjoyed my time here, but isn’t the experience made all the more sweeter by knowing it has a limited timespan?

It’ll be both bitter and sweet to walk across

For me, the biggest change will be the feeling that I’m actually getting pretty old. Inside the uni bubble, you can blissfully dance the night away pretending you’re back to being a carefree Fresher, but out in the real-world it’s time to face the reality and begin adult-ing.

No longer can I miss a lecture because I’m feeling a bit sleepy or a bit hungover – a full-time master’s degree demands commitment and maturity.

You’re probably thinking "A master’s degree? She’s being dramatic for nothing, she’ll still be a student!", but the reality is that moving away from Exeter (I’ll actually be moving back home) makes the whole process feel so much more different and serious and grown up. To top it all off my master’s degree in jour-

Image: MD Duran

that stage and collect my degree (that’s if I don’t trip on the way up), but I remain excited for what is to come. Yes, I will be losing some of the opportunities that make student life so great, but I’m confident that many of the friendships I have made during my time at Exeter will last me beyond my time in Devon.

My experiences at Exeter have shaped me and will remain with me for life. Graduation doesn’t have to be intimidating – in reality, the only thing that will change when I walk across that stage is my undergraduate status.

THERE IS NO DEADLINE FOR GETTING YOUR LIFE SORTED OUT To my fellow final years, I want to assure you that we’re going to be okay. Whether you’ve got a job lined up, a place on a master’s course or nothing at all, the next couple of years are our chance to work things out and test the waters of adulthood a little bit more.

Everyone has a different path and there is no deadline for getting your life ‘sorted out’. Take time to enjoy the freedom of experimenting with your ideas and passions, and try not to compare yourself to others. It can be hard but just remember – you’ve got a degree from a brilliant university, 'probably the best univeristy in the world', and in time you will achieve anything you set your mind to.

Last minute trip tips

Two Lifestyle writers give their advice for planning a last minute holiday

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HEN suffering from the mid-term that suits your needs, enabling us broke stuslump, we often concoct dreams dents to fly to new cities for amazing of trips far away from Devon. These prices. Nonetheless, accommofantasies often stay fantasies, dation prices are often a chalbut students can easily turn lenge. This can be solved them into a reality - cheaply by staying in a hostel, of and quickly. This process which Hostel World prostarts with two words; vides brilliant expenses. city break. They're breathAirbnb provides lavish taking, thrilling, and also properties for very low incredibly cheap and educosts, and importantly, cational. The European cities many properties accomof Budapest, Prague, Milan (to modate large numbers of name a few), are all easily accespeople together. Skyscanner, Image: Steven Lewis sible by cheaper airlines, and return Hostel World, Airbnb search the tickets to the UK are generally £80. The webtravel web for the most affordable prices, site Skyscanner is a travelling go-to; it allows leaving us to just piece together the jigsaw! you to choose your destination, and scans every airline to provide the cheapest flight Megan Groves

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XAM season is over, you have all the freeing this website. It picks a destination based dom you once fantasised about in on your desired duration of the trip, the Forum Library. But once you've airport choice, accommodation had the few days ‘recovering’ type and area of your destiby binge eating and movie nation. You can select from watching, the anti-climactic a 3-day European trip or feeling may hit. So what a 7-day non-European about going on a trip and trip. Also, you can exrefreshing your mind? clude a city that you've Can't decide where to go? previously travelled to If you’re up for a little surand make sure you go prise adventure, my friend somewhere new. To narrecently recommended a row down your destination website called Srprs.me - a webchoice, you can pick an area Image: @rawpixel site that hand-picks a destination, such as Southern Europe or Eastern plans your travel and accommodation, but Europe and they guarantee they won’t only reveal it on the travelling date with a put you in "dodgy" cities. Are you ready for scratch card! The website is very easy to use, some excitement? This is the website for you! my friend and I just planned a trip in July usVivian Chan

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4 JUNE 2018 |

EDITORS: Rhiannon Moore and Bethan Gilson

lifestyle

Flying away from travel troubles

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Olivia Powell discusses her experience with travel anxiety

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HAVE a complicated relationship with travelling. Whilst I absolutely adore going to new places, seeing friends, and going on holiday, travelling itself makes my palms sweat, my heart race and my stomach churn.

This summer, I’m hoping to be going all over the country by train to visit my friends – something that excites me, but already I’m thinking about the multiple journeys I’m going to take, and how it could go wrong.

TRAVELLING MAKES MY PALMS SWEAT AND MY HEART RACE I honestly don’t know where my travel anxiety comes from, I just know I have it whenever I travel by myself, and I’ve always been that way. Even when I was 17 and would get an hour-long train ride nearly every weekend to see my then-boyfriend, I would still get anxious. As soon as I wake up the morning of travel, my heart will be pounding, and my stomach will be twisting itself in knots.

Before I travel, I always make sure I have my entire journey screenshotted on my phone, my connections memorised and my bag triplechecked to see if I’ve forgotten anything. I try to be at the station at least twenty minutes

before my train leaves because I’m terrified of she is comforted by the adorable critters I missing it. It’s not as though I haven’t been send her but also feels like there is someone in disaster travel situations – the time a train with her in her journey. For myself, I always door wouldn’t open for me and I was stuck make sure I have one of my favourite films/ on springs to mind – so, TV shows downloaded rationally, I know that to my laptop if I have it’s not the end of the it, and if not, I make world. Unfortunately, sure I have podcasts travel anxiety is not downloaded to my rational. phone. Listening I have a to or watching couple of ways something that I deal r e a l l y with travel makes me a n x i e t y. feel a lot Firstly, better I both because distract I don’t and reassure h a v e myself.

An to listen example of to my very this is how I help irrational internal one of my friends monologue that who also has travel somehow seems to Image: Barbara Balogun anxiety – whenever I be convinced that the Image: Nils Nedel know she is on a journey, world will end if I miss I set an alarm to go off my connection. You don’t every hour of her journey, so I can send her even have to listen to or watch something, an arrangement of cute animal pictures. This you could bring something else – a Kindle to both distracts her and reassures her because read, a notebook, even university work – any

kind of activity that you enjoy and think will help you feel better about travelling.

Another technique I like to use is asking myself ‘what’s the best scenario, what’s the worst scenario, what’s most likely to happen?’. For example: ‘the best scenario of this journey is that my train will arrive early to all my connections, I will have a completely empty table seat for the entire journey, and I will meet a handsome stranger who will turn out to be my true love. The worst scenario is that everything goes wrong, I miss all my connections and am unable to get home.

What’s probably going to happen is that I’ll have an average journey, I might be a little delayed and I also might have to sit next to a stranger’. This really helps me, especially if I’m spiralling.

YOUR JOURNEY WILL ALWAYS END IN THE PLACE YOU WANT TO BE Even if you do have travel anxiety, don’t worry; there’s lots of things you can do to counter it, and no matter what, your journey will always end in the place that you want to be.

Summer lovin'?

Rhiannon Moore and Alicia Rees share their thoughts on the summer fling YEA

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NAY

HE summer fling is a frequently visited concept in YA books and coming-of-age movies. But they often turn out to be far more than just a whirlwind romance by the end of the story, and both people live happily ever after. I’m not saying that can’t happen, but more often than not, summer relationships are just that – for summer. But we shouldn’t be thinking of this as a bad thing.

Flings and short-term relationships may seem pointless and feel like wasted time. But these are the experiences which I believe help us deduce what it is we actually want from another person. Or even if we want another person at all. There is the long-held belief that only the long-term relationships are the meaningful ones, but this isn’t true at all. From summer flings, we can learn about people that you perhaps wouldn’t have associated with before, experience things you never would’ve dreamed of, and be able to look back on a summer worth of fun and formative memories.

There is, of course, the issue that while you’re busy partaking in a short-term relation-

ship, it’s difficult to see that it won’t last long.

We become blind and caught up in the excitement, and this often leads to heartbreak when it does eventually end. But again, this isn’t a bad thing either. We should think of summer flings as practice for the real thing, so when it does come around, then it’s easier to deal with the emotions you experience.

Summer flings aren’t for everyone and that’s okay! But for those who find themselves in that situation, think of it as a time to make memories – immerse yourself in every emotion you feel; embrace every minute.

Rhiannon Moore, Lifestyle Editor Image: @tekang

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H, summer loving. Unlike the immortal words of Grease, it is rare to “have me a blast”. Of course, the beginning is perfect.

Very very perfect. Maybe you’ve reignited an old flame, or you pulled on your first night out back home. In either case, I bet it happened in a club. Your eyes met across the dance floor, the jägerbomb dribble down their face becomes strangely endearing, you shimmy over and voila, you’re necking on. The summer romance you will never forget has begun. You spend weeks in each other’s company, in summer fling bliss. You agree to keep it on the downlow, you know your friends will berate you for it.

For a solid week, it's pure lust and happiness. Your life is filled with sex, spooning, and endless take away whilst cwtched up in their arms. Then you dare to ask the fatal question.

‘Do you fancy doing something like outside the house?’ Instant panic fills their eyes. What if their pals see you together? What if your pals see you together? Thoughts are racing through the mind, maybe you’ve caught feels or maybe, just maybe, you want more. From there on you’ve reduced yourself to a mere booty call. You’ll get the 3am "u up" text complete with side eyes emoji. Any glint of passion or feeling is replaced with three minutes of missionary after which they assume the foetal position and make you leave as silently as you came. Or probably didn’t come at all.

You may see them again, a nervous look as you walk down the high street, but it’ll never be the same. The short lived magic has gone. Summer flings are what they say on the tin, they’re a time filler. For the sake of your emotions, babe just don’t do it.

Alicia Rees Deputy Editor

LONDON CALLING...

ExeposĂŠ Sport looks back at trips to the capital for City and Chiefs

Chiefs’ crown taken b aviva premiership play-off final

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t: steenson; c: steenson; p: simmonds

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t: vunipola, wyles (2), earle; c: farrelL (2); p: spencer

twickenham stadium, london - Att: 75,128

Wil Jones Sport Editor

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T was a case of déjà vu all over again on Saturday 26 May as the Chiefs succumbed to a Premiership Final defeat to Saracens in a repeat of the 2016 fixture. Having put in a succession of masterful domestic displays this season, the Sandy Park outfit went into the game with a 10-game winning streak in all competitions – it proved inconsequential as the Chiefs were left devastated, with Saracens running out deserved winners on a warm and windy Saturday afternoon at Twickenham.

The Chiefs were left bitterly disappointed as a masterful forward effort by Saracens prevented Exeter from stamping their mark on the game, with Mark McCall’s men notching four tries to the Chiefs’ sole score. Two quickfire tries by Billy Vunipola and Chris Wyles in the first quarter set Saracens on their way, before Wyles’ second just after half-time allbut put the game to bed.

Gareth Steenson crossed the whitewash for the Chiefs as Rob Baxter’s men rallied in the final quarter, but it was Saracens who had the final word – Nathan Earle diving over in the corner with two minutes to play.

Defending champions Exeter had topped the Premiership table for much of the year and finished the domestic season eight points clear of second-placed Saracens. Both teams opted to select the same personnel from their semi-final successes – a 36-5 hammering of Newcastle for Exeter and a 57-33 thriller for Saracens against Wasps respectively.

If those results weren’t enough proof, this match was, irrefutably, the best two sides in England coming head-to-head when it really mattered. Exeter began the game the better of the two teams and dominated the opening exchanges.

Neat box-kicking by scrum-half Nic White forced Sean Maitland into a knock-on, and from the resulting scrum the Chiefs looked to put the ball through the hands early on. Neat work by Alec Hepburn and Mitch Lees put Sam Hill half clear, and Saracens infringed on their 22m line – an early

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opportunity for Joe Simmonds to get points on the board.

He duly obliged, sending the penalty from bang in front straight through the middle of the posts – the Chiefs led 3-0 after five minutes. The next opportunity came from Sam Simmonds breaking downfield from the restart. The Chiefs’ recycling had Saracens on the back foot, forcing Vincent Koch to infringe on his 10m line – Simmonds the younger stepped up to add to his first effort, but his shot on the angle was scuffed wide and short of the posts.

Incredibly, the statistics showed the Chiefs had 99% of the possession after nine minutes – a clear mark of intent from Baxter’s side. With Saracens’ sheer bulk and ability to score with sucker-punch blows from anywhere on the pitch, Exeter knew any success would be reliant on their ability to string the phases together and keep their North London rivals’ aggressive defence on the back foot.

Despite an excellent opening, the Chiefs failed to maintain their dominance of the ball. After referee Wayne Barnes pinged Maro Itoje for playing the man in the air at a lineout on halfway, Henry Slade stepped up and followed Simmonds in skewing his kick, to the delight of the Saracens’ faithful.

It was a sure sign of big-match nerves from Slade. If familiarity breeds success, then Twickenham is something of a second home for Saracens.

Not only have they staged home-games at HQ since 2004 in the London Double-Header, but six trips to the stadium for the Premiership final – resulting in three victories before this year – to go with their two European Champions Cup trophies hammered home precisely what stood in the way of the Chiefs and a successful title defence.

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exeter had topped the table for much of the year

McCall alluded to his side’s pedigree in the week before the game – it had been “53 weeks since” Saracens had seen the trophy stolen away from them by a late Exeter try at the semi-final stage last season. That sense of determination was writ large across the team as, two minutes after Slade’s miskick, Billy Vunipola crossed the whitewash for the first time in the game.

It was a somewhat unfortunate break that had Saracens hammering on the Chiefs’ try-line. A neat chip by Owen Farrell in the midfield bounced kindly for Alex Goode, who hacked on into the Exeter

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22. The full-back reclaimed his volley, and when his teammates came to his aid, Farrell was able to find Wyles on the left with a crossfield kick. The American winger fed Billy Vunipola, and although he was initially stopped, when the ball was recycled to the big number-eight, he crashed through Joe Simmonds’ attempted tackle to score at the base of the posts.

Incredibly, Vunipola was only confirmed fit to play 20 minutes before kick-off. As McCall admitted after the game, the England star hadn’t trained all week due to concerns over a hamstring injury. Despite only lasting 59 minutes, Vunipola emphatically won the battle between the two England number eights, hammering into contact along with his brother, Mako. By contrast, Sam Simmonds and his sibling, Joe, had a torrid afternoon, unable to use their more subtle prowess in a game dictated by physicality.

If Exeter fans were bemoaning their side’s poor fortune at the bounce of the ball, it didn’t take long for them to have something else to worry about.

After stringing their own possession together – and making more headway in the midfield than Exeter were able to – Saracens overloaded their left-hand side. Wyles was the grateful recipient of Maitland’s deft draw-and-pass following good interplay between Farrell and Goode once more, and the departing winger had a clear run-in from the 22 – the first quarter gone, and the Chiefs trailed 3-12.

Saracens were firmly in control. Every carry saw them get over the gainline. When captain Don Armand disappeared for a Head Injury Assessment, the Chiefs nearly saw the game slip away from them before half-time. Two charged-down kicks in a matter of seconds – by Farrell on Lachie Turner and Itoje on White – pinned Exeter on their own line. The lineout faltered, Farrell put boot to ball once more, and only a despairing dive by Jack Nowell prevented Wyles from claiming his second.

The first-half ended with Armand’s return and Farrell pulling a penalty wide to the left – his third missed kick of the afternoon. The Chiefs had seen their possession reduced to 48% at the interval, and despite the relatively even statistics across the board, they failed to paint the whole picture.

Saracens’ defensive discipline and power allowed them to refrain from overloading their defensive breakdowns; in contrast, Exeter had to work hard to bring down Sarries’ heavy-hitters, resulting in gaps around the fringes and out wide.

Exeter came out with high-hopes, but minutes in and Saracens had a third try. Saracens’ captain Brad Barritt got clear following a neat offload on

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Replacements: Yeandle, Moon, Holmes, Skin

by storming saracens the inside and the forwards ground their way to the line. The ball went wide – Lozowski found Goode, and once more the full-back sent Wyles clear for his second score. Farrell added the extras from out wide.

Baxter responded by emptying the bench, and veteran fly-half Gareth Steenson replaced the young apprentice Joe Simmonds, who had looked somewhat intimidated by the occasion. The Irishman’s experience was key in turning the tide, and he pulled the Chiefs back within nine-points of Saracens when he carried Ben Spencer over the line following a first-phase scrum play. Ultimately, it proved fruitless as the Chiefs were unable to mount the comeback their fans were crying out for.

Having been starved of the ball for so long, the match hinged on the Chiefs’ ability to go back to basics and score from their well-worn method of sticking the ball up the forwards’ jumpers and heaving towards the line.

Three such chances arrived. The first saw Steenson send a glorious penalty kick to Saracens’ 5m line, and the forwards duly obliged by rolling the resulting maul towards the line for what looked a certain try – until Schalk Brits hauled it down, spending ten minutes in the sin-bin for the pleasure. Steenson kicked to the corner again, and although he eventually scored several phases later, both the maul and the Chiefs’ pods of forwards were repelled by a disciplined defensive line.

For this Exeter team, it has almost become a formality that they score from such positions – to fail at the hands of such a resolute defence that has kept you well away from their try-line all day must have been dispiriting.

When the third opportunity

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arrived not long after Steenson crossed the whitewash, Slade failed to repeat the Irishman’s feat of putting the pack into the red zone. Slade sought to avoid his first-half error, and his penalty to touch from around halfway only made it to the 22 – a relative lightyear to traverse considering the fifteen obstacles stood between Exeter and the tryline. As it was, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Jonny Hill got their wires crossed and the chance went begging – processes that work seamlessly in the safe surroundings of Sandy Park suddenly went awry in the oppressive heat of Twickenham.

Farrell departed with cramp but Saracens’ territorial dominance continued with an excellent kicking game that kept Chiefs pegged in their own half. Spencer added another penalty to extend the margin to 12-points, before Earle capped a dominant victory for Saracens with time running out and the Chiefs switching off on the blindside after defending a series of forward drives on their own line.

After the game, Baxter was understandably devastated: “The changing room feels a lot different from two years ago.

It didn’t feel a nice place just now – and that’s

not because the players are unaware that they’ve had a good season. They know they’ve had a good season and we’ve achieved things we’ve never done before as a side – but it didn’t feel like a changing room that was happy, or pleased, or at the end of a journey.

“Finals are about the winners. I thought Saracens were very good […] their management of the game […] and how they worked to exploit [that] into pressure and points was very

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nner, Waldrom, Townsend, Steenson, Whitten

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good and we didn’t handle that well enough on the day.”

Addressing the suggestion that the Chiefs may have fared better had they opted for experience over youth, Baxter was adamant.

“My job isn’t [just about] today. Sam Simmonds has played international rugby. What am I going to do – not pick him because Tom Waldrom’s around?

It doesn’t work like that.”

It was a disappointing end to the Chiefs’ season.

Having performed admirably, if unsuccessfully, in Europe this year, their domestic form has been imperious – spurred on by the determination to retain a title that surely seemed improbable eight years ago when they won promotion to the Premiership for the first time. But for a resolute Sarries outfit that suffocated the life out of the contest through their discipline and power, Exeter looked likely to do just that having brushed aside all-comers at Sandy Park this term.

“Some of the things we got wrong you can put down to pressure from the scoreboard, or from the things Saracens were doing,” continued Baxter. “That’s what we’ve got to learn from”.

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second half sinks city skybet league two play-off final

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willis (49), shipley (54), grimmer (68) wembley stadium, london - Att: 50,196

Kieran Jackson Sport Team

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XETER City missed out on promotion to League One at the final hurdle for the second year running, after falling to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Coventry City at Wembley Stadium on Bank Holiday Monday.

After a goalless first half, wonderful strikes from defenders Jordan Willis and Jack Grimmer, either side of a deflected Jordan Shipley effort, gave Coventry what proved to be an insurmountable lead.

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for coventry, it marked the first promotion in 51 years

Substitute Kyle Edwards grabbed a consolation goal for the Devon outfit, but it was too little too late as Exeter fell at the final hurdle yet again, following their 2-1 defeat to Blackpool in last year’s play-off final. After the game, manager Paul Tisdale said he needed some time to think about his future – it has since been announced that Tisdale with leave the club after 12 years in charge.

For Coventry, it marked the first time in 51 years that the Sky Blues secured a promotion, and their second success at Wembley in as many seasons, after their Checkatrade Trophy win last season.

On a boiling hot day in the capital, supporters from the South-West and the Midlands travelled in their thousands – a remarkable 40,000 from Coventry – to the home of football, in anticipation of a match to fit the occasion.

Exeter, who finished 4th in League Two, were confident after their convinc-

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ing 3-1 aggregate win against Lincoln City in the semi-finals. Similarly, Coventry came through against a Notts County side managed by ex-Premier League player Kevin Nolan.

Following a rapturous reception for the players and the national anthem, the game started off very cagey, with both sides squandering possession cheaply and unable to create any notable chances throughout the half. Coventry probably shaded it, with a few openings for top scorer Marc McNulty.

Exeter’s top scorer Jayden Stockley on the other hand had a poor day, in a performance characteristic of Exeter’s sloppiness throughout.

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in the 68th minute, the game was put to bed, and it was another worldie

In the second half, two goals in the opening eight minutes changed the complexion of the game. After a setpiece, the ball fell to Coventry centreback Jordan Willis, who turned and curled the ball brilliantly into the top corner of Christy Pym’s net. Then, McNulty set up 20-year old Jordan Shipley to score after an unfortunate deflection off of Exeter right-back Pierce Sweeney.

Despite some initial urgency from Exeter in attack, they were unable to seriously penetrate the Coventry defence.

In the 68th minute, the game was put to bed, and it was another worldie from a Coventry defender. Following some neat footwork and link-up play down the right-hand side, right-back Jack Grimmer cut in on his weaker left foot and struck beautifully into the far corner.

Despite substitute Kyle Edwards, on loan from West Brom, suddenly bringing pace and inventiveness which led to his impressive 89th minute consolation, Exeter will certainly reflect on what might have been after a disappointing team performance, which maintains their position in the bottom tier of the Football League.

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Substitutes: James 6 (for Woodman 63’), Jay 6

y at wembley play-off ANALYST’S CORNER: WHERE DID IT GO WRONG? Josh Brown Sport Editor

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T was ultimately a pretty awful performance from the Grecians.

From the start, the inclusion of aging veteran Craig Woodman in the starting XI over superior alternatives made little sense both at the time and in hindsight; while Woodman was by no means the worst performer on the day, his lack of ability in the final third proved really problematic; there were several times – especially in the first half – where he was left in acres of space, with enough time to deliver a cross into Jayden Stockley, but wasn’t brave enough in possession and opted instead for backwards passes.

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craig woodman in the starting xi over superior alternatives made little sense

This could have been worked around in a couple of ways. First, to retain the 4-42 shape that Tisdale likes, I would have dropped Dean Moxey into left-back, and replaced Woodman with youngster Kane Wilson in the starting XI. Moxey is a better player than Woodman and Wilson’s dynamism has been really impressive in the second half of the season in particular – and at just 18, he is an exciting player to watch. Personally however, I’d have pursued an alternative – I would have gone for a 3-5-2 formation, with a back three of Jordan Moore-Taylor, Jordan Storey and Pierce Sweeney – who all started anyway – with Moxey and Wilson the wide midfielders, acting as auxiliary fullbacks when out of possession. Coventry were very dangertaylor

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ous in the first half from the half-spaces, with passes in between the centre-back and the full-back really challenging the likes of Sweeney and Storey – the latter pulled off a superb interception towards the end of the first half that had the Exeter supporters on their feet.

With a proper structure in the centre of the park, with Tillson and a midfield partner – for me, Boateng – Exeter may have been able to better defend the opening goal. Jordan Willis turned P i e r c e Sweeney with his first touch, before firing into the corner – but truth be told, Willis’ touch was poor, and there was no pressure on the ball – though take nothing away from a superb finish. With two defensive midfielders of the five I’ve opted for sitting in between the defensive line, Willis would at least have had to work a little harder for the opening goal that really changed the game.

The second goal really came about as a result of the first, but from a defensive point of view it was far too easy.

The ball was shifted from right to left without any Exeter player getting close to the ball; Woodman was beaten far too easily before Jordan Shipley’s effort deflected off Sweeney and flew inches above the hands of City’s Christy Pym, and nestling in the far corner. Exeter hadn’t come out of the second half at all,

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6 (for Moxey 63’), Edwards 7 (for Boateng 73’)

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and failed to match the intensity of their opposition, who had sparked to life after a relatively drab first 45.

At 2-0 down, Tisdale should have had Kyle Edwards on the pitch. The youngster is arguably City’s most technically gifted player, and one of their best offensive assets. He’s looked bright in every game he’s featured in, and his absence until late in the game was bemusing. By the time he did come on, City were 3-0 down – another superb strike, with right-back Jack Grimmer curling beautifully into the top left corner on his weaker left foot – another freak goal that, on another day, would have flown into Row Z. Edwards did pull one back – beating his man on the inside left channel before firing across Coventry goalkeeper Lee Burge and into the bottom right corner – and was the only Exeter player that looked to be direct.

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at 2-0 down, tisdale should have had kyle edwards on the pitch

City ultimately struggled offensively because of a lack of support for Jayden Stockley, who was left totally isolated up front. To finish off my recommended side, I have resolved this issue too – I’d have

city’s playoff history 2007 Exeter finish 5th in the Conference National, and overcome Oxford United on penalties in the semi-final.

However, they fell 2-1 to Morecambe at Wembley

2008 Just one year later, Exeter saw off local rivals Torquay over two legs, before defeating Cambridge in the final to return to the Football League.

dropped Ryan Harley back into a central attacking midfield role, and started speedster Matt Jay up front. Stockley was superb in winning the first ball on the day, but with nobody around him Exeter struggled to even get a foot in the game going forward. moxey

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2017 A goalfest semi-final tie against Carlisle saw Exeter make it to Wembley, although they fell 2-1 against Blackpool to fail to gain promotion.

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where to f

Exeposé Sport writers give their views o

EXETER CITY chance for change

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FTER a dismal showing at Wembley, marred by tactical incompetence, awful team selection and substitutions that came twenty minutes too late, manager Paul Tisdale’s departure seemed inevitable, and so it has proved.

The Maltese man leaves the post after 12 years in charge, the longest term out of any manager at the time, and in a similar vein to Arsène Wenger, it feels like he has outstayed his welcome. When Exeter have lost to sides in and around them this season, it’s often been due to defensive issues – which doesn’t add up, because Exeter have some superb defensive players – and disappointing performances on the day. This theme is indicative of mentality issues, which stem from the top – I am glad Tisdale has left, but whoever comes in has to understand the ethos of the club. Some kind of tactical awareness would be great – I grew tired fed up of Tisdale’s preferred 4-4-2, which is frustratingly easy to penetrate

and maintains poor defensive shape, as well as his constant misuse of better players – youngster Kyle Edwards has not been given the game time his performances have deserved, while I’m still coming to terms with Kane Wilson’s absence in the playoff final, especially when one considers the performances of Craig Woodman, who is simply not fit for League 2 anymore.

Moving forward, City’s focus has to be on securing a manager who is a good fit for the club, as well as keeping t h e i r c o r e players and hopefully adding a new leftback and genuine wingers to support top scorer Jayden Stockley.

JOSH BROWN

risk of struggle

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ANAGER Paul Tisdale’s departure means Exeter will enter a transitional period and one that doesn’t guarantee success of the same level. I will be surprised if City are able to replicate this season’s a c h i e ve m e nt s ; there is every chance that Tisdale’s departure will also signal the departure of key players in the team.

Already, the likes of Hiram Boateng have been linked with a move to League One, which is no surprise given his wonder goal in the Playoff Semi-Final.

The Exeter team has several young players that will all probably go on to play at a higher level, though Tisdale leaving may very well end up being the catalyst that takes players away from the club. City are in real danger now

of struggling, and while relegation isn’t probable, if the Grecians suffer the same start that they did two seasons ago, they may face a season-long struggle. The structure of the club, being owned by the Supporters’ Trust, is one for the purists, but it doesn’t allow the Reds to compete on the same financial level as other sides, which means that they probably won’t be able to attract a big name to manage the side, or fund moves for big players.

Of course, this does mean that the ethos of the club will remain – development focused, with an emphasis on bringing players through the stellar youth academy – but another push for promotion will likely prove too much, too soon. Exeter City must aim for stability next season, and it is imperative that the post-Tisdale era doesn’t destroy the foundations that have been built during Tisdale’s tenure. tom dowsett As this issue of Exeposé went to print, Exeter City announced that former player, Matt Taylor, has been appointed as manager

from here?

on the future for Exeter’s sporting sides

EXETER CHIEFS “Home-grown talent and misfits...”

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ednesday 26 May, 2010; Memorial Ground, Bristol. Exeter Chiefs’ Director of Rugby, Rob Baxter, looks on as his side dismantles their South West rivals by 29 points to 10 to secure promotion to the Premiership in his first season at the helm..

Except, in many ways, it was anything but Baxter’s first season. 16-years as a player, with ten as captain, preceded Baxter’s coaching career with the Chiefs.

It’s a history that, in many ways, bears little importance to the everyday success of the club – and the challenges the Chiefs face next season – but it’s a salient point to make following a final that left Baxter clearly devastated at Exeter’s failure to defend their Premiership trophy.

The Chiefs are in the midst of a period of transition. Having stuck by the men who got the club promoted back in 2010, Baxter has seen the lineage dwindle. Tom Hayes, Tom Johnson et al. have all retired in recent years – only Phil Dollman and fly-half hero Gareth Steenson remain from that promotion-winning side.

While their replacements have gone on to achieve unprecedented success for Exeter, there was a distinct lack of leadership at Twickenham, as young starlets like Joe Simmonds struggled to cope with Saracen’s savvy. The manner in

which he, and the likes of Jon- ers – a significant factor in ny Hill, Sam Skinner and Joe’s the counties to the east, as brother, Sam, respond could well as the west, of Devon. be the making of the side.

Because this is the model for the Chiefs – hard work and reCHIEFS ARE IN THE lentless improvement, as well as two areas of focus for reMIDST OF A PERIOD OF cruitment: home-grown talent TRANSITION and misfits of the game. It’s not far off the much-heraldThe threat to Exeter next sea- ed ‘Moneyball’ methodology. son may come from below and It does mean, however, that the resurgence of their English the Chiefs are unlikely to go out Premiership rivals in the West and spend in the manner BrisCountry: Bath, Gloucester, tol and Pat Lam have done – and, most interestingly, newly- Alex Cuthbert is the only newpromoted Bristol – the Chiefs’ recruit announced thus far. adversaries eight years ago .

Some of the misfits are miEd Holmes and Shaun grating away from Devon, too.

Malton will line-up for Thomas Waldrom returns Bristol next season, while to New Zealand having Will Chudley heads to Bath won the hearts and minds after six years at Sandy of the Chiefs fans, leavPark. In the short term, ing big boots to fill. these three clubs are It’s not all unlikely to rock Exdoom-and-gloom eter on the field. But though.

Exeter in the future, for a have qualified club that has built for next season’s an incredible fanChampions base in Devon Cup as either a and, somewhat Tier 1 or Tier 2 begrudgingside – having ly, Cornwall, been drawn in Bristol’s rejuan astonishingly venation may tricky pool in this be a worry. season’s competition, a The hegemony move favourable draw the Chiefs have in will give rise to hopes the surrounding that the Chiefs can go region is arguably further than the quartermore important final they reached in 2016. when it comes to In Cuthbert, they have academy playsomething of a rough dia-

“

mond – he has flaws, but at full-tilt, the Welshman is a potent try-scorer. Santiago Cordero has signed up for another season, too, along with Jack Yeandle, Harry Williams, and Steenson.

How Baxter responds to the added pressure of players playing test rugby in a Rugby World Cup year will be revealing. The depth of the squad is notoriously strong, yet any injuries or loss of form stemming from the added workload would be an unwelcome addition.

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THE DEPTH OF THE SQUAD IS NOTORIOUSLY STRONG

While Baxter was keen to emphasise his concern “is the future of Exeter Chiefs” at Twickenham, fans may also be worried about the way in which he is being lined up as heir-apparent to England coach Eddie Jones. It’s an interesting situation, with Chiefs players such as Don Armand overlooked by the Australian. As ECFC move forward without Paul Tisdale, it’s difficult to predict what would happen to the Chiefs without Baxter at the helm.

To even be talking about such worries shows how far the Chiefs have come in eight years. Despite their loss at HQ, the Chiefs are in fine fettle.

Wil jones

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EDITORS: Rhiannon Moore & Bethan Gilson

A referendum for choice

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Bethan Gilson, Lifestyle Editor, discusses the recent Repeal the 8th referendum in Ireland

N 25 May the Irish electorate made the monumental decision to repeal their eighth amendment. The eighth amendment gives the ‘unborn’ child an equal right to life as the mother, essentially making abortion illegal under the constitution. Whilst abortion in Ireland has been subject to criminal penalty since 1861, the eighth amendment was enshrined in the constitution in 1983 and ever since, abortion has remained one of the most contentious and divisive social issues in Ireland.

Ireland is a largely Roman Catholic society.

Historically, Ireland’s religious values define its social milieu and state politics to more of an extent than an arguably secular Britain. Under the Abortion Act of 1967, women in Britain are entitled to an abortion by a registered practitioner under the NHS and since the same year, British women have been able to access the contraceptive pill. To many commentators, this was hailed the great liberator of women and marked a turning point in sexual politics, where women were given full control over their own bodies and reproductive rights.

ABORTION IN IRELAND HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO CRIMINAL PENALTY SINCE 1861 Contraception was the point of concern in the case that provided the impetus for the enshrining of the eighth amendment, with the case of May McGee in 1974. McGee was an Irish 27-year-old mother of four who had many

complications during pregnancy including a life’. It also prompted the passing of laws that stroke and temporary paralysis. She was warned enabled women to travel for abortions should by doctors that another pregnancy would they be deemed lawful and demanded that be life threatening and prescribed a female women be given access to written information diaphragm and spermicidal jelly in order to about abortions in other countries. Whilst prevent pregnancy. However, from 1935-80, the this was a stride forward for the movement, selling or importing of contraception was illegal two subsequent failed referendums were in Ireland and therefore she was not permitted held in an attempt to alter the definition to to obtain the prescribed contraception. McGee exclude suicide, providing an indication of and her husband won the case, on the grounds the contention of the issue in Irish society. that they were allowed the right to marital Furthermore, women were subject to medical privacy and that pregnancy would endanger and psychological inspection before being McGee’s life. The outcome concerned many of granted the right to terminate a pregnancy, those who were opposed to the liberalisation which delays the process and can be lifeof birth control laws and therefore prompted the writing and implementation of the eighth amendment.

One of the main messages from the REPEAL THE EIGHTH campaign was that the wording of the amendment was ambiguous and therefore presented legal uncertainty for medical practitioners when determining whether or not they had the right to terminate a pregnancy. Over the Image: Barbara Balogun past thirty-five years, the unlawful termination of a pregnancy has been subject to a minimum sentence of fourteen years and many tragedies have ensued. In 1992 the X Case, concerning a suicidal fourteenyear-old girl who had been sexually assaulted and consequently impregnated, ensured that suicide was included in the constitution’s Image: Suhyeon Choi definition of ‘a risk to woman’s

threatening.

This was seen in the death of Savita Halappanaver in 2012 due to complications of a septic miscarriage. She was denied the right to a life-saving termination of the pregnancy due to the foetal heartbeat being heard, resulting in her death in a Galway hospital.

Images of her face were carried by supporters of the REPEAL THE EIGHTH campaign and her death awakened a whole new generation of people to the tragic realities of the repressive birth control laws in Ireland.

THE TRAGIC REALITIES OF THE REPRESSIVE BIRTH CONTROL LAWS In essence, that’s what the campaign was stressing: abortion law in Ireland needs to reflect the realities of the situation. This referendum was not about whether you agree with abortion on religious or moral grounds abortions are happening and they are often unsafe and women are scared and alone. It is estimated that twelve women a day travel from Ireland to Britain to obtain an abortion. Women in desperation are purchasing abortion pills online, travelling and putting their lives at risk in a system that does not allow them their fundamental right of control over their own bodies. To borrow from the rallying cries of the campaign, it was about trusting women and protecting women; it was about giving women the choice to do with their bodies what they wish.

Getting up in your grill

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Alex Wingrave, Music Editor, shares his top tips for creating the perfect barbecue

ET me preface this with the fact that I live in a first floor flat, so I couldn't host my own barbecue without inviting the fire brigade along. However, I've been to enough summery banquets in my time to know a thing or two about planning a tasty and cheerful barbecue that's good value for money.

A BARBECUE IS A TREAT AND A CELEBRATION OF THE HOT WEATHER First off, you'll need a garden, and a barbecue to put in it. Your landlord might have been kind enough to leave a little one for you, which you can fill with coal and newspaper (any publication but Exeposé will do) and fire up with some matches. Failing that, disposable barbecues are easily available - just make sure to place them on a surface that won't catch fire, like concrete, handle carefully, and extinguish with cold water after you've finished - never

put hot ash in the bin! You're best off starting flakes, salt and pepper beforehand for a zesty a barbecue an hour or so before you want to flavour. Limes are well worth investing in, as start cooking, which will let it get to they'll add zing to any dish or a steady hot temperature. drink you might be preparA barbecue is a treat ing, but otherwise you and a celebration of should be able to the hot weather, so make the best of it's worth splashstore cupboard ing out a bit for ingredients. a proper feast, Burgers or but that doesn't hot dogs are mean your food a must have won't be worth at any good the price. Chicken barbecue, but thighs or pork meyou'll have to dallions are a cheap spend some and tasty cut of meat cash if you want that can go a long way good quality meat. if you cut them into small A delicious vegetarian Image: Mark Tegethoff pieces. Pair them with pepoption is the sweet potato pers, courgettes and mushrooms burgers my dad makes - two or on a wooden skewer and you've got kebabs three cooked sweet potatoes, 250g rice, a tin - marinate it all in some oil, lime juice, chilli of black beans, a fried onion, and any season-

ings and spices you've already got at home, all blended or mixed together, then moulded into six patties. Make them ahead of time and chuck them in the fridge before cooking, and you've got a winning burger that will please carnivores and vegans alike. The great thing about a barbecue is you can pretty much see when something's cooked by eye, and a bit of charring is only a good thing. You can also let people choose their toppings and sauces themselves, so everyone's happy!

DON'T LET A BURNT SAUSAGE GET YOU DOWN

These are just a few suggestions, but the best barbecues are about a bit of experimentation and a whole lot of prayer, washed down with a drink or four. Stay safe, but equally have fun and don't let a burnt sausage keep you down.

arts + lit

Bored of the Bard?

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Lauren Newman, Arts + Lit Editor, discusses the atrocities of modern Shakespeare adaptations overcome the physically overbearing set and moreover the general aesthetic dominance.

Unfortunately, I was to be disappointed. To be fair to the amazingly talented actors this failure was achieved almost in spite of them. There were standout moments, especially from Duff whose Lady Macbeth would have stood the test of time if placed in a more coherent production, as the original Shakespeare intermittently shone through this barrage of aesthetic superfluity.

Certain directorial choices, e.g. the decision to have Macbeth put on his armour with duct-tape and to have the ghost of Lady McDuff carrying the corpses of her dead babies in plastic bags across the stage, although true to the vision of a grimy, futuristic setting provoked derision from the audience and critic alike. No wonder the general company seemed apathetic as they took their final bows.

CERTAIN DIRECTORIAL CHOICES PROVOKED DERISION From surveying the audience’s faces as we trudged out of the theatre one could not help questioning whether it was this specific production or our general boredom with reimaginings of Shakespeare that provoked such a violent reaction from its viewers. Indeed, although Norris’ production has perhaps been the worst most recent production of Shakespeare that I’ve had the displeasure to sit through, it is by no means alone in its failure to do justice to Shakespeare through its employment of a modern setting. The Young Vic’s production of Macbeth in 2015 led by Carrie Cracknell and Lucy Guerin failed for much the same reason, as the directors seemed to favour

aesthetic and choreography in their decision to set the play in a post-nuclear apocalypse.

Both Norris’, Cracknell’s and Guerin’s decision to remove the play from any civil war contexts and concentrate on the visuals without much reference to the text, even going so far to dramatically cut certain areas of it. But please do not take my criticism of such productions as an indicator that I think modernisation is the devil in revising Shakespeare’s works. In fact anything that deviates from the prescribed view that Shakespeare is sacred perpetuated in schools immediately excites me.

My perfect idea of a modern Shakespeare was epitomised by Emma Rice’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream performed in 2016. The iconic Globe Theatre structure was transformed, and our expectations of Shakespeare exploded as Titania, played by a famous burlesque star, spun out of the ceiling on ropes, Helenus (played by a man) pursued Demetrius, and as Puck (played by the fantastic Katy Owen) teabagged an audience member with a banana. Rice’s production embraced the transgressive carnivalesque atmosphere present in the text and amplified it a hundredfold, constantly involving the audience with sing-alongs to David Bowie’s ‘Starman’ amongst other songs.

Through aesthetic and action, it represented the perfect fusion between tradition and innovation and brought

a breath of fresh air to the at times stuffy programme of Shakespeare that audiences had whenceforth been used to. Although admittedly it may be much easier to update a Shakespeare comedy rather than a tragedy, Rice deftly demonstrated that is more than possible to buck our expectations of bardic theatre in a positive way by not taking Shakespeare or her own artistic vision too seriously. Where Norris went wrong is that he took this “modernisation” too far and treated it too seriously for the audience to appreciate, resulting in a production similar to Cracknell’s and Guerin’s that disregarded the text through too much visual distraction.

Image:Felipe Ferreira

O anyone with any knowledge of theatre in the UK at all, a trip to a National Theatre production is generally a safe bet for an evening of theatrical culture. The medium of excellence that it delivers season after season, attests for its prestigious reputation and respects the ideals of innovation on which it was founded in 1963. Amongst such recent successes the theatre has enjoyed such as Lucy Kirkwood’s Mosquitoes and Sondheim’s Follies however, its had its fair share of critical misfires such as 2017’s Saint George and the Dragon, and Christmas’ shabbily devised production of Peter Pan. Amid the National’s new season, Rufus Norris’s production of Macbeth seemed immediately promising. Even though it was the director’s first return to directing Shakespeare in 25 years I was attracted by the veritable galaxy of stars which featured prominently in the cast and excitedly woke up at the crack of dawn, waiting eagerly in the dreaded queue-it system behind approximately 800 others to book my tickets.

After all, as I thought to myself, the company has always had a strong connection with the Bard and his work, and the casting of AnneMarie Duff and Rory Kinnear seemed inspired both factors confirmed its status as a success in my ever-impressionable mind. How wrong could all my hypothesising be. On the day of the performance, as the audience bustled into the packed Olivier theatre, Rae Smith’s “aggressively ugly” set consisting of a sight not out of place at your local tip, immediately jolted me out of any preconceptions of bardic grandeur. It was a clear indication to the majority of the audience, that Norris’ trend of favouring style over substance in his direction would apply to this production, even before the dramatic action had begun.

However, as the lights went down I tried to ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach and sat back expectant that the acting would somehow

Exe-Box Office

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Our writers discuss their favourite recent productions both local and national

ET’S be honest: searching for talent at the Edinburgh Fringe can, occasionally, be akin to searching for Mr Darcy on a dating app, such is the array of questionable ‘talent’. Such cannot be said of Yael Farber’s Mies Julie: a reworking of August Strindberg’s 1888 classic, Miss Julie first performed in 2012, and again at the Fringe last year. In Farber’s masterpiece, erotic tensions of social divide are updated to contemporary South Africa. Stretching over one night, resentment, passion and wrath intertwine explosively in the dialogue between Xhosa farm labourer, John, and his white mistress, Mies Julie. The simmering darkness of a society still reeling from the wounds of apartheid is laid bare in their volatile exchange. In 90 minutes, the bubble of pans and the warbles of John’s mother are the only punctuations in their discussion: a domestic-gonewrong underpinned by brutality, primality, and, ultimately, disaster.

Katie Jenkins, Deputy Editor

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HOTGUN’S season culminated this year with a production of Brian Hargrove’s It Shoulda Been You directed by Michael Hogg. The production as a whole can only be described as insane. From the get go, the audience was in stitches. The comedic brilliance of both Melissa Wood as Judy and Donna Leny Hansen as Georgette was astounding. It first appears that these two characters bring intense humour to the typical story of a fairy-tale romance, however, as the biggest plot twist in history is revealed each and every character comes into their own and what we’re left with is a cacophony of shrieks and giggles. Thanks to the musical work of MD Jeremy Garrett and vocal coach, Gabrielle Scobie, the cast never faltered. This maybe, could be, should be, the best production I have seen whilst at university. Thank goodness the soundtrack is on Spotify.

Alicia Rees, Deputy Editor

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arts + lit

Are the arts accessible?

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Arts + Lit writers ask whether theatres are doing enough to entice students

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CCESSIBILITY is increasingly becoming a priority for many arts companies, making every effort to make the arts as inclusive as possible. From ensuring their performances are affordable to reaching further than your ‘typical’ audience, theatre companies are pioneering innovative ideas and schemes to make the arts accessible to all, including young people. The RSC run a key programme whereby those aged 16-25 can get £5 tickets for their shows amongst other deals, whilst The Young Vic also offer 13-25 year olds free tickets and backstage passes amongst other unmissable offers. For any of you fellow ‘Welshies’, the Millennium Centre run a SHIFFT scheme for those of us in university. A little closer to home, the Exeter Northcott offer student standby tickets, an offer I certainly don’t use enough. Students with a valid ID or NUS card can visit the theatre on the day of the performance and pay just £5 to watch anything from Don Carlos to Dick Whittington. Making the bold claim that “even Shakespeare haters will love it”, the Northcott introduced an innovative offer for their performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream this May. Their ‘Pay What You Decide’ offer allowed audience members to watch the performance and then pay what they thought it was worth at the end; an idea pioneered by Stockton’s ARC theatre. This not only meant that audience members e: K ag Im ld

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4 JUNE 2018 |

EDITORS: Lauren Newman and Tabi Scott

avoided paying high prices for tickets but also encouraged those who would not usually watch Shakespeare to experience this raucous affair.

Shakespeare plays, with its sometimes challenging language, can be considered hard to follow.

But throw in live music, stand-up comedy and actors diving through walls and falling through floors, this is Shakespeare like you’ve never seen it before, appealing to the most hardened of haters.

Exeter Northcott’s performance Beyond My Control certainly reached out to a wider audience as science met theatre in this interactive performance about epilepsy. Not only appealing to those studying drama but maths and science too, mathematicians at the University of Exeter created a unique theatrical experience to help us get to grips with what’s going on inside our heads; it truly demonstrated how theatre can reach out t o

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ALWAYS believed that art was one of those unifying, magical things that brought people together from all walks of life. But when I moved out from state school, where I was definitely the “artsy posh” kid, to the privilege-drenched Exeter University three years ago, I began to question my belief that art was accessible. Nearly every person I met in Exeter could play an instrument, had attended multiple

everyone. Accessibility in the arts is something I feel so passionately about. Through a vast range of schemes for young people and as productions such as Beyond My Control show, whether due to finance, age or preferred interest, theatre companies are really pushing the boundaries to ensure the arts reaches out to everyone.

Olivia Harvey

concerts, and many had parents that worked in the business.

I was shocked that these people didn’t seem to think twice about how unusually lucky they were.

The real problem with art accessibility is being exposed to it. I became “artsy” because I got nice paints for my birthday; I had parents who would sit down with me and actively encourage me to draw because they could afford to. My first introduction to theatre was my dad taking my family “for a nice meal and a show”, possibly the most middle-class construct there is. Looking back, it’s no wonder I became so interested in art because I was thoroughly encouraged to be, and money was spent to ensure I was.

I could ask my parents for a musical instrument, and they could afford it. The ability to pay for an arts education is just not a matter of what schools offer (with the cuts of the arts continuing to vastly affect state-schools), but what your home life can

offer.

You need to have the tools, the time, and the influence from others to actually make you sit down with that guitar or read the latest brochures from the West End. Sure, you can get into institutions like The National Gallery and The National Theatre for under a tenner, and granted there are some amazing schemes out there (if you know where to look), but the fact is there’s so much more to “accessing the arts” than actually viewing the art. There’s the money you need to spend getting to the institutions, where the venue is probably designed to look as imposing and posh as possible, and if that wasn’t intimidating enough almost everyone else there speaks like they are chewing toffee and wearing suits and clothes from Zara. However, there’s nothing intimidating about Netflix or switching on ITVbe in your jammies. Additionally, if you want to see what’s really ‘in’ at the moment, you have to fork out hundreds of pound. Think Hamilton charging up to £250 for a show: that’s half a month’s rent.

There are of course many exceptions to this rule, but it’s no wonder to me why the arts are struggling to stay relevant, when the country is becoming more and more financially challenged.

The saddest thing about art is that it’s often born from privilege when the content of so much of it constantly tries to contest that very privilege.

Olivia Denton

Theatres under threat

Tabi Scott, Arts + Lit Editor, discusses the impact of reduced arts funding

HE closure of the Bike Shed Theatre, a beloved creative outlet in this city, has led to discussions of the security of the arts in this country. The Bike Shed Theatre was sustained by the profits of the bar within the venue, but with the increasing number of cocktail bars in Exeter, the theatre lost its financial support. This is one of many examples of the arts having to latch itself onto businesses just to survive, the swells and dips of the economy impacting creative output.

This country prides itself on the history of its creative industry, with public money invested into the industry through the likes of Arts Council England in order to support creative institutions. Yet, we need to start considering whether we are protecting the arts on principle rather than out of a genuine passion for them. Budget cuts have suggested that our Conservative government does not prioritise funding for the arts, but instead of interrogating their economic decisions we need to consider why the public are not supporting the arts as much either. Theatres, museums, and galleries are asked to slash their ticket prices

in order to appeal to a wider audience, but is idea that we need to rework the classics to there an audience left to appeal to? ensure success, rather than risking People defend the arts as an the reception of new ideas, essential aspect of British ironically keeps us rooted culture yet fewer and in the past. fewer people seem The arts will not to be prepared to be at risk if peopay the price. ple are reminded Is there really of what they a demand for have to offer. theatres and We need to galleries over change up cinemas and preconcepsocial media? tions with the The most opportunity commonly for new artists, sought antidote writers and perfed to creative formers to present industries to revive their work to the their success is the masses, awakening a request that they ‘shake genuine excitement for Image: Ian Muttoo things up’, with cringe-worthe creative industry. Going to thy modern Shakespeare adaptathe theatre doesn’t need to be an antions and art which is only valued if it can be nual luxury. There can still be an appreciation captured and captioned on Instagram. The for older plays, poems and pieces of artwork

without suffocating their original format by forcing them to become relevant to the realities of the modern world. Instead of focusing exclusively on re-working and re-presenting older pieces, we need to shine a spotlight on new talent.

GOING TO THE THEATRE DOESN’T HAVE TO BE AN ANNUAL LUXURY If the work of new artists is given a voice in the more traditional formats of a theatre or a gallery rather than a screen then this will spark interest in them once again, with the realisation that the arts have something new to offer. The arts need to be recognised as a valuable and profitable aspect of our culture for the next generation, a valid source of entertainment even if it doesn’t rely on technology, in order to receive the full funding that it requires through the government and ticket sales. Adapting is the best way to ensure that the arts have the future that they deserve.

music

Musicians and mental health Lauren Geall unpacks pop's troubled state of mind

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N 10 May 2018, police in Scotland confirmed the death of Frightened Rabbit singer Scott Hutchison, after his bandmates posted about their concerns over his disappearance on Twitter. In a desperate plea for help on the day prior to the discovery of his body, the band admitted their concern for the singer: “He may be in a fragile state and may not be making the best decisions for himself right now.”

Whilst the cause of his death has not been officially established, it is widely believed that Hutchison took his own life. He suffered from mental health problems, which he had openly addressed in the past, both in his songwriting and in the press.

Unfortunately, mental health struggles among musicians are becoming increasingly common. Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington tragically took his life last year, Kanye West has discussed his own struggles with suicidal thoughts, and Demi Lovato has addressed her bipolar disorder in several interviews.

More than ever, the impact of the music industry on musicians’ mental health demands attention.

Help Musicians UK is one of the first organisations to tackle the problem head-on.

Launched in December 2017, the charity’s support line for musicians, Music Minds Matter, is open 24/7 and provides advice, signposting, clinical pathways and professional therapeutic services. Help Musicians UK’s (HMUK) traditional grants are also offered to musicians in need.

MAKING MUSIC IS THERAPEUTIC, BUT MAKING A CAREER OUT OF MUSIC IS DESTRUCTIVE When The New York Times published a January feature exploring the new service, Chief Executive Richard Robinson stressed that the daily calls to the helpline, often totalling over 25 conversations a week, proves it is needed.

He added “I think it’s a unique environment, someone who’s putting their creative brain on show is saying, ‘Look, I can either succeed or fail here.’ And it’s horrific.”

A 2016 University of Westminster research

study commissioned by Help Musicians UK revealed the scale of the problem. The report, titled ‘Can Music Make You Sick?’, collected responses from 2,211 self-identifying professional musicians. Within this group, 71.1% of respondents believed they had experienced anxiety and panic attacks, whilst 68.5% of respondents had experienced periods of depression; 55% felt there were gaps in the provision of services for musicians, despite the clear need. The report was summarised by a harrowing statement: “music making is therapeutic, but making a career out of music is destructive.”

MENTAL HEALTH CASES ARE PARTIALLY DUE TO A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING FROM THE PUBLIC One of the case studies in the final report, Lauren Aquilina, has been open about her journey with mental health issues. The Bristolian singer-songwriter discussed the often disregarded negative aspects of working in the music industry in a 2016 article for The Independent.

“As artists, we’re conditioned to believe that if our lives are so fast-paced and busy that we constantly feel like we’re about to throw up from fatigue, that’s success.”

“Anything less than that? Failure. There’s no healthy balance. We don’t stop and appreciate our successes because it’s always straight on to the ‘next step up’. My calendar is either full to the brim or I have a month with nothing to do, and the uncertainty of it all has caused a huge increase in my overall anxiety levels.”

Aquilina decided to leave the music industry at the end of 2016 after the release of her first album. She admitted that the album making process had been a lonely experience that had a detrimental effect on her mental wellbeing. Aquilina has since spoken out about her experiences of loneliness during her time as an artist, “I was made to see other female artists as competition so I felt completely alone.”

In 2018, Aquilina made a surprise return to the industry after a year’s break, but the

problem is far from solved. A greater understanding of the unique lifestyle of musicians is needed to provide the aid needed.

Talking to The New York Times, Matthew Johnson, frontman of the Leeds-rock band Hookworms, highlighted the severity of this issue.:“When I’ve tried to explain my problems, [people] say, ‘Oh, your life must be wonderful.’

They don’t particularly understand the pressures you might be under.”

It seems these mental health problems in the music industry are partially due to a lack of understanding by the wider public. The popularity of music is in no way a bad thing, but the godlike status we impose on our favourite performers means we find it harder to empathise when they complain about their unpredictable lifestyles.

The reality is the romanticised image of the ‘tortured musician’ is more than an imaginary persona. It has been established that a link exists between creative personalities and mental health problems, and we need to make the music industry a comfortable place for people to discuss their struggles without being deemed ‘ungrateful’. By appreciating the reality of a career in the music industry, we are able to create an atmosphere in which musicians do not feel pressure to perform to expectations.

Both appreciating and making music has the ability to be a therapeutic and beneficial practice, as long as we promise to listen to and appreciate the realities involved.

'Can Making Music Make you Sick'?

The UnIversity of Westminster report IN Numbers

71%

68%

experienced panic attacks

experienced periods of depression

55% felt there were a lack of services for struggling musicians

If you have been affected by any of the issues mentioned in this article, please contact: Reed Mews Wellbeing Centre 01392 724381, wellbeing@exeter.ac.uk Samaritans 116 123, jo@samaritans.org Help Musicians UK 020 7239 9100, info@helpmusicians.org.uk

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EDITORS: Aaron Loose and Alex Wingrave

Sound of summer

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Chloë Edwards and Jamie Moncrieff preview their most anticipated albums of the coming months songs.

Perhaps the album is inspired by Welch’s recognition of the detrimental effects of constant partying and her adoption of a calmer lifestyle to focus on her music. Judging by the singles so far, the band's distinctive sound has not been lost along the way. Having just headlined BBC Radio 1's Biggest Weekend in Swansea, Welch’s soaring vocals and the layered rustic instrumentals are more than proving their worth as a strong contender for the soundtrack of the summer, although High as Hope may be more ‘Queen of Peace’ than ‘Hurricane D r u n k ’.

Chloë Edwards, Online Features Editor Image: Montecruz Foto Image: Dave

HEN a BBC’s Sound of 2009 runnerup dropped their debut album later that very year, it garnered critical acclaim and drew comparisons to the likes of Kate Bush and Björk. With its refreshingly female-fronted indie pop and its theatrical sonics, Florence + the Machine’s first record, Lungs, launched their career, and nearly a decade later, the group are gearing up to release album four in July, High as Hope.

The first single ‘Sky Full of Song’ was released on Record Store Day to little fanfare, so most of us didn’t realise that a new record was just on the horizon. In an in-depth comeback interview with Radio 1’s Annie Mac, frontwoman Florence Welch spoke of how she’d “found the joy again” in writing new material for the album, which had been “years in the making”, and features a broad range of artists from Jamie xx to Kamasi Washington.

It was after this interview that second single ‘Hunger’ was released, accompanied by a striking music video, and the album became available to pre-order; knowing the secret was out was as pleasing as the new music itself.

Better yet, unlike Years & Years and The 1975, there were no cryptic waiting games for fresh

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EATH Grips. Do I need to repeat myself? It's Death Grips! The legendary industrial hip-hop trio have been making some of the largest waves in the music scene this decade, through both their abrasive sound and controversial public antics. These include not turning up at live events, cancelling a tour half-way through, creating a double album with two halves released nine months adrift of each other, printing the drummer's erect penis on the album cover for No Love Deep Web, and then leaking said album when their label wouldn't release it before the end of 2012.

Despite this, the band have received critical acclaim by grabbing hip-hop and dragging it into a world of digital hardcore.

Late last year, the band announced via social media that they were working on a project with Lucas Abela, an Australian musician who plays a piece of glass laced with contact microphones and cuts his face with the edge during live shows. Early in 2018, they also revealed that they were working with Andrew Adamson, the director of Shrek and Shrek 2.

Amongst this chaos, Death Grips announced via their website, thirdworlds.net, that they were planning to release their sixth studio album, Year of the Snitch. Three promotional singles have been dropped so far. The first was 'Streaky', one of the catchiest songs they have ever released. The second was 'Black Paint', a droning fusion of heavy rock and rap. Finally, there was 'Flies', a glitchy chaotic mess that epitomises just why Death Grips are so unique.

I believe that Year of the Snitch is going to be the group's most volatile effort yet, straying away from their usual linear sound style, and if that wasn't enough to get you excited, it's Death Grips: come on.

Jamie Moncrieff, Online Music Editor

Shock-stakovich in the charts

Harry Caton, Online Screen Editor, runs through the wackiest and most wonderful number ones

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HART-TOPPERS are a strange breed.

They're what's on the public mind, often chewing away at you with catchy pep - regardless of actual quality. But for the UK’s long history of number ones, there are always the stranger outgrowths, the anomalies that catch across the lips of a nation. Recently, Royal Wedding cellist Sheku KannehMason's debut album of Shostakovich covers rose to the top of the iTunes chart, bypassing big-name hackery like The Greatest Showman's soundtrack. A pleasant surprise. But quaint weirdness has lurked in the charts since day one, and the public is often happy to indulge.

Perhaps it’s a general crossover with the wider world of pop culture.

Eminem might have broken out

IImage: Karen Arnold

in 1999 had the aptly-named 'Flat Beat' not trounced him with its Levi's-ad mono-drone.

Notoriously, 'I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing' was pushed up by the mawkish 1971 Hilltop Ad that concerned the apparently socially-transformative powers of Coca-Cola.

QUAINT WEIRDNESS HAS LURKED IN THE CHARTS SINCE DAY ONE But let's get weirder. Not all novelties succeed because of their assaults on normality.

'In the Year 2525' from 1969 is a surreal ode to sci-fi, all yelps about pills and machines, while 1994's 'Doop' (by Doop, from the album Doop) mashes ragtime and eurodance together to eclectic results. 'Star Trekkin'' might have the aesthetic merit of a dentist's drill operated by William Shatner, but the public of 1987 seemed to love it. Then, the KLF's 'Doctorin' the Tardis' bounced off the waning days of its subject in 1988 - the Who theme has never been sampled better.

There's certainly something to be said for the quality of unexpected memorability.

1986's 'The Chicken Song', from Spitting Image (ask your parents), plays into the very Christmas-song tropes it mocks, but with a delightful charm of the absurd. 'Turtle

Power', from 1990, is an earworm playing homage to its TV roots. Combining sparse 80s hip-hop beats with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, it's a fierce ode to those "heroes on a half-shell". Empowering stuff, really.

But that appreciation still means something. Researching this article made me appreciate just how much the pop scene has changed. The '60s and '70s were transformative times, where the underground could come up into the sun and live with the ordinary. But the hyperconsumptive environment of the '80s and '90s forced out so much of that mainstream zest. Outbreaks of the weird grew rarer in face of plastic-pop; the dynamics of over-production and consumerfocus meant a fussier marketplace.

Come the 2000s and the 2010s, the list grows shorter. Every shock 'Gangnam Style' feels bold, while 'It's Chico Time' seemed focus-grouped for novelty appeal. Our response must be to keep pushing, keep discovering, and keep celebrating. The home-grown Shostakovich covers of the world deserve to win out over the greatest showmen; we have to help that happen. Pop might not be the first battleground of the alternative, but let's make sure it's not one of the last.

PLAYLIST Some of our favourite weird charttoppers from over the years...

HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK Ian Dury and the Blockheads (1978) FLAT BEAT Mr Oizo (1999) SHADDAP YOU FACE Joe Dolce (1980) TURTLE POWER Partners in Kryme (1990) DOOP Doop (1994) IT'S CHICO TIME Chico (2006)

Images: Eva Rinaldi/Paul Robinson

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Director top five

Rupert Morgans-Wicks ranks the best of David Lynch’s filmography

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1 Image: Showtime Networks

Personally, I believe there is no greater culmination of all these elements than in his most recent project, Twin Peaks: The Return (2017). It aired on television, and continued one of the most famous cult television shows to exist, yet there is a debate over whether or not it is a film. David Lynch himself has said that it’s not television, but an 18 hour film.

Moreover, the British Film Institute awarded it 2017’s second best film, and its first two parts aired as a two hour feature presentation at the Cannes film festival. Yet it’s on TV. So why is there such disparity in its classification as film or television?

Twin Peaks: The Return transcends the idea of television – and possibly even film. This all sounds pretentious beyond belief, but when you watch the 18 hour experience it simply envelopes you. Spanning multiple states, multiple characters, multiple realities – it is the visual equivalent of a trance, a stupor, a dreamlike voyage into the mysterious and wonderful and creative. Tonally, it can shift from the whimsical soap-opera parody of the

original show, to the awfully bleak ultraviolent, to the sweetest romance, to the most inventive dream, to the musical – all in one episode. Taking strands and mysteries from the 1990 original, it weaves an ongoing detective through-line, and yet never really gives us any full answers. This alienated many, but the answers were never the point. The point was the journey and the time spent with these characters. It’s not important where we arrive, and most of us still don’t know where we did even a full year on since it aired, but how we got there was crucial.

Eschewing its famed charismatic lead Agent Dale Cooper for much of the show was a controversial choice – given that fans have been waiting 25 years for his return – instead placing his actor Kyle MacLachlan into three radically different roles. That’s the key to the show: the good and the uniqueness of people. While it may explore the darkness, “black as midnight on a moonless night”, it all boils down to a love of the human condition. I think The Return is the best thing Lynch has ever done; to create something so big, so uncompromising and so true to his vision, at the age of 72 is frankly the work of someone born to make cinema.

2 Image: rulenumberone2

Moving on, Eraserhead (1977) was Lynch’s debut feature (after myriad experimental films). Shot in black-and-white, it examines Lynch’s own anxieties of becoming a father, but through an industrialised dystopian world, a screeching baby creature-thing, and a singing lady in a radiator... obviously. Sound is a big part of all Lynch’s work, and the foundations are laid here; as Lynch himself creates an ominous constant hum which drones throughout the runtime. It’s a mesmerising, relatively short delve into the depths of alle-

gorical filmmaking – with vast originality on display. The film ran in cinemas for years as a midnight horror curio, but it isn’t so much scary as dark and grotesque - in an endearingly beautiful way. It’s a film of wonder and dread, and one of the most assured directorial debuts I’ve seen; Lynch even edited it and did the production design. Eraserhead is a beautiful Lynchian dream.

Image: Asymmetrical Productions

HE man with the grey elevated hair, David Lynch himself is an auteur filmmaker as iconic and unique as his output. He is known for his gently nasal voice, his kindly face, and arguably the greatest hair in the world. His films are known for their obsessions with duality, the tenuous lines between reality and the dream, and their explorations of the grotesque – viewed through a sympathetic lens. His tropes are so embellished in film culture that he has his own adjective, lynchian. His films are always a place both wonderful and strange. Their ventures into the world of the dream are like his hair; swirling, curly, unpredictable, and always a bit different every time you see them.

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2001’s noir Mulholland Drive is perhaps his most famous film. It took me a few attempts to watch it. Detrimentally, I would often start it in the early hours of the morning and, ironically, fall into my own dreams. Appropriately, Mulholland is like a dream. A work of two bizarre halves, we follow Naomi Watts’ aspiring actress through a dark and dreamy Hollywood and – well, who knows? Dealing with dual identities, mysterious midnight cowboys, botched assassinations, and miming singers, Lynch presents us with a mystery box of elements. Somehow Lynch connects these multifarious elements together into a cohesive whole of standout, seminal scenes.

As usual, Lynch proves a master of balancing completely contrasting tones, making it mysterious, labyrinthine, romantic, funny, and – with its infamous premonition scene – scary.

4 Image: New Line Cinema

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992) is Lynch’s most neglected film, ravaged by critics and fans alike. After the original TV show

ended on a cliffhanger, many expected answers from this film. Lynch is Lynch, though.

The film is a prequel which provides no answers, and comprises a wildly different mood to the show. The show was often upbeat, whereas this is oppressively dark and lurid, full of anguished screams and sleaze. The show was uplifted by Angelo Badalamenti’s jazz score, yet this sees his music take on a grungy and filthy nature. The show explored high school student Laura Palmer’s murder, but the film interestingly examines her final days alive. Fire Walk With Me’s strength lies in its difference: it isn’t simply an extension of the show. It’s its own entity; taking the characters and world into a dark side. It’s horrifying, miserable, and a tough watch, but succeeds solely because it inhabits its own space, whereas the aforementioned Return is more in keeping with this film than the original show. Lynch loves duality, and amazingly through all his projects in Twin Peaks, he created two different – yet two masterful – versions of the same world.

5 Image: De Laurentiis Entertainment Group

This is a key theme for Lynch – the horrors that can lie beneath a world’s serene surface.

The opening shot of 1986’s Blue Velvet expresses this, as the camera sinks from sunny American suburbia into the ant-infested soils of the earth. Velvet deals with our Freudian desires and the complications of sexual violence; toeing the line between its protagonists’ youthful innocence and the sordid underbelly of nightlife. This was the first Lynch film that I ever saw, and admittedly I found it polarising. But I am so glad that I continued, and by exploring the beauty and the darkness of his other dreams, I came to love David Lynch and his filmography.

Editors’ Picks Do the Right Thing (1989) Images: 40 Acres & Mule Filmworks; Castle Rock Entertainment; Fox Broadcasting Co.

Before Sunrise (1995)

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-)

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EDITORS: Ben Faulkner and Chloe Kennedy

4 JUNE 2018

You’re a tease

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THE TEASER HAS BECOME AN ENTITY ON ITS OWN

Hotly anticipated sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again has already released three separate trailers, collectively revealing pretty much all of the dual narratives which yet more ABBA smash hits will be jammed into. Whether you loved or loathed the first film, it’s hard to suggest the film will surprise anyone after these teasers, and that’s becoming increasingly common. 2014’s Amazing Spider-Man 2 is a prime example of this – with multiple

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Alex Wingrave, Music Editor, evaluates the growing prevalence of teaser trailers

EASER trailers today have become almost as big an event as the films they promote; they’re mercilessly picked apart by fans on YouTube, and there’s a continuous push to break records in terms of numbers. So important has the trailer become that it’s almost impossible to go in blind to a film these days. By the same token, it’s very easy to know almost every plot detail if you watch the many teasers and TV spots which accompany any major release. In this sea of constant content and ‘hype’ generation, it’s become harder and harder to deliver an effective marketing campaign without handing the story on a plate to audiences.

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FEW weeks ago, we saw the nation delve into a romantic fever as the wedding of the beloved Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place. And if there’s one thing I love more than baking, it’s a bit of romance, especially within various films. Unfortunately, I could not select just one wedding scene that has captured by heart over the years. Instead, I present my three top marriages from About Time, Romeo + Juliet, and Disney’s live action Cinderella.

First up, About Time. This classic rom-com defies all tradition when it comes to the wedding of Mary and Tim. Rather than the white gown, Mary opts for a vintage red piece. Instead of the traditional Bridal Chorus composed by Wagner, the couple choose Il Mundo

by Jimmy Fontana. A truly remarkable tune that has found a home in my own Spotify playlists. Even the weather contrasts typical expectations of the perfect wedding day, replacing sunny blue skies with torrential rain in the depths of Cornwall. All these alterations to the societal expectation of a wedding is why I adore this scene so much. Instead of focusing on the materiality, it centralises on the

trailers and even the first ten minutes of the film being released – revealing all the villains, sub-plots, and even clearly foreshadowing the twist of Gwen Stacy’s death. Regardless of the film’s quality, knowing almost every beat beforehand made for an underwhelming cinematic experience.

‘But just don’t watch the trailers!’, you might be thinking. While that would ideally be a solution, you can’t turn on your phone these days without seeing countless articles, tweets, and videos dissecting each second of the latest blockbuster trailer. The teaser has become such an entity of its own that we get ten second teasers simply announcing a teaser trailer, which itself teases a final trailer. In the same way films compete for the biggest opening weekend, there’s a race to get the highest

views in a 24-hour window. Avengers: Infinity War currently holds the top spot with 230 million views – but that record has been broken seven times in the last three years alone. It’s a highly competitive and highly discussed market, making it almost impossible to avoid the avid and detailed discussions which accompany the lead-up to a major release.

That doesn’t mean trailers can’t be done in an artful or pleasantly mysterious way. 2008’s Cloverfield and 2009’s Star Trek both debuted short teaser trailers without titles in the cinema, building buzz through the use of intriguing imagery. Possibly my favourite blockbuster teaser in the last few years was the first Force Awakens trailer, which delivered a deft balance of call-backs to the Star Wars franchise’s history, and interesting new concepts

Royal wedding

to expand the universe. And they managed it all without any heavy-handed plot reveals.

Music can be incredibly effective in creating a good trailer; however, 2015’s Fifty Shades of Grey, with its atmospheric use of a stripped down ‘Crazy in Love’ by Beyoncé in the trailer, was a let-down. The song created a sensuous vibe that the final product, so spectacularly, failed to capture.

THE TRAILER IS AN ACTUAL INFLUENCE ON THE FILM ITSELF

The trailer has recently shifted from simply an important marketing tool, to an actual influence on the film itself. 2016’s Suicide Squad released a trailer that was incredibly well-received for its bombastic tone – so wellreceived in fact that the company responsible, Trailer Park, were hired to help rework the film to match its tone. The resulting mess proved that the two are very different forms of media; each uniquely difficult to get right.

Some fans want as many plot details as possible, whilst some want to be left in the dark – and there’s no pleasing everyone. In the age of the teaser trailer, the only certain path to success is having a good film to showcase in the first place.

Tash Ebbutt looks at her favourite on-screen weddings love shared between two people with their own personalities being central to the stage.

Arguably, this is how a wedding should be: a celebration of a couple’s own unique love for each other.

Next, the wedding of Romeo + Juliet in Luhrmann’s rendition of Shakespeare’s tragic tale. Now, as part of my dissertation was on this film, you would think I would be sick of talking about it, but alas. This scene wins my heart – partially because of my love of the play itself, but also because of the sheer simplicity of the scene. Luhrmann’s film is an overtly violent rendition of the play, and the tranquillity of the wedding scene is a means of legitimising the young lovers’ relationship through contrasting it with the violent outside world.

They become a source of purity in this corrupt environment; they’re elevated to true martyrs of love itself. The camera’s focus on the facial features and reactions of both Romeo and Juliet only furthers this notion, reminding us what a wedding should be celebrating: the bride and groom.

Finally, we have Cinderella. Although not depicting the actual nuptials themselves, the

palatial setting and the beautiful costuming of Lily James as Cinderella really caught my heart during the ending of the film. Cinderella’s wedding dress is made of a stunning ivory, and is decorated with floral embroidery. Costume designer Sandy Powell’s choice in presenting a gown a little different from the traditional white aims to parallel the characterisation of Cinderella herself. She stays true to herself even in a new, more regal setting, which is the essential message of the film itself. Even when the pair emerge onto the balcony to greet their loving kingdom, they are accompanied by a goose – a homage to Cinderella’s country background, which I personally found pretty quaint. But hey, I’m just a sucker for a fairy-tale.

This after-wedding scene (of sorts) is only further complemented by the incredible score by Patrick Doyle – a beautiful musical accompaniment to one of my favourite films.

Coincidentally, Harry and Meghan themselves have been likened to Cinderella and her prince. The world has been making constant parallels online between the original animated Cinderella and the royal wedding – perhaps modern fairy tales do exist.

Image: Translux

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EDITORS: Ben Faulkner and Chloe Kennedy

Accidental film set

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Neha Shaji, Features Editor, discusses cinematic locations in the real world

ILM locations are nearly as popular as films; places from the wide swathes of the Southern countryside in Atlanta, to faux Hobbit holes in New Zealand, are still eagerly explored by tourists. It is indeed, quite difficult to find locations for film shoots – planning and councils have to give permission, as do the residents who must also be compensated. Hence, the following locations would probably never end up in an upcoming feature, but it’s never a folly to dream. From eerie abandoned theme parks, to lush countryside; the world is almost (shall we say) cinematic.

These locations would blend in, seamlessly, with the films they almost seem to be taken from.

The Ukrainian city of Pripyat used to be the home of nearly 50,000 people, yet now lies deserted after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986. Due to radiation, the city will be left untouched for thousands of years until it is safe to return. This is probably exactly why a film would never be shot here in the near or even distant future, but the town looks macabrely beautiful, with abandoned cars and houses settled under a thin layer of red dust.

The ghost city is even home to an abandoned amusement park, the scene of every horror film writer’s wet dream, and a highway that remains full of empty, rattling cars. Pripyat wouldn’t look out of place in any post apocalyptic adventure, be it a masterpiece Walking

Dead episode or a cracking scene from Shaun of the Dead. The greyness and grimness of the desolate arcade would be a perfect place for the cast of IT to wander around in – except, of course, for the radiation.

The monumental testament to excess that is the abandoned Ryugyong hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea - a display of just how focused on image said country could be.

Standing at 105 stories tall, the hotel has been abandoned for 16 years. Work started again in 2008 and from the outside it currently seems finished, however it is reported that much of the interior is still incomplete. The massive hotel which is reportedly abandoned, haunted, or a display of Western decadence depending on whom you ask, could almost have The Shining be set within it. Hotels aren’t really meant to be empty, especially not one as disturbingly large and oddly shaped as this one, and any number of horror films could be set in this building as well. Provided you can cross the North Korean border in one piece.

ited, or Jane Eyre, or Wuthering Heights if the latter was set next to a busy, honking road rather than by the moors. Aspinwall House was an old British colonial property left over from the Raj, which had now been preserved – not to showcase any British remnants but as the home for Cochin’s biggest arts festival.

With crumbling ivy, walls stained with damp and age, and tapestries and gloomy portraits showing rows and rows of old men, Aspinwall House would work wonderfully for a Victoria or Edwardian era film, in order to showcase the decline of the aristocracy.

Think Poltimore House, but with less henna tents and yoga, and more exploitation and murder.

Again, these locations, with the possible exception of Aspinwall House (and even then, I’m assured that most Indian councils wouldn’t rent out this property in particu-

lar for a Western film) are almost impossible to shoot at. But that’s also probably what makes them seem so familiar when you catch a glimpse of Brideshead in a state of decay, or one of Stephen King’s creepy, weird hotels.

The world is full of forgotten potential film locations ready to be discovered.

Image: Vaikoovery

Image: Nicor

THE WORLD IS ALMOST (SHALL WE SAY) CINEMATIC

Aspinwall House in Cochin, India, is one and a half steps and a good coat of paint removed from Brideshead Revis-

Image: Cls14

Cannes I take my heels off ?

Alicia Rees, Deputy Editor, dismantles Cannes’ traditional red carpet rules

Cannes Film Festival Regulations: - Selfies are not permitted on the festival grounds. This can result in expulsion.

- They generally expect black tie formal.

- Women are expected to wear heels.

- All films shown at the festival have to have been shown in a French cinema.

Image: Footwear news

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INCE the birth of Hollywood, the red carpet has been a hotbed of glamour and sophistication. It’s the place where the brightest and best actors of the day gather and twirl in the latest sartorial masterpieces.

What we fail to see, however, is that beneath the dress and tucked neatly inside the shoes are a mountain of Compeed, blister plasters, and sheer resilience. For most of us, wearing heels is a masochistic art and reserved for the

rarest occasions like a wedding, graduation, or if you really want to get laid.

Alas, for those walking the carpet at Cannes Film Festival, there is no reprieve. Although there is no official rule detailing how high a women’s heel should be, there have been numerous reports of women in flat shoes being turned away; even those unable to wear high heels. There are of course guidelines for men too: men are required to wear a tuxedo with dinner jacket. As much as I pity the man who’s desperate to wear his chinos rather than a tux, until wearing jacket causes crippling agony and blood-filled shoes I don’t want to hear any complaints.

We’ve all seen the ethereal figures of wafer thin actresses saunter down the red carpet in 6inch Louboutins, getting asked strictly skindeep questions. Recent Oscars coverage even included a bling cam so we get the chance to admire J-Law’s glittering jewels and cuticleless nails. With such revolutionary rumblings becoming louder in Hollywood, thanks to the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements, do such

superficial and, frankly, boring practices still have a place in cinema?

CANNES FILM FESTIVAL’S HEEL POLICY IS ARCHAIC

No, they definitely do not. Over the years, women have consistently given some of the most poignant and ground-breaking performances. Yet, even Katharine Hepburn was probably asked “who are you wearing?”, and not revered for receiving the most acting academy awards. It’s high time that actresses are seen as talented individuals who have more to offer than being a human clotheshorse. The industry has spent too much time being heartbreakingly ruthless regarding actresses’ appearances. In a recent interview with The Irish Times, Game of Thrones’ Maisie Williams describes how she’s starting to realise that certain roles will be unavailable to her in the future because of her looks. The fact that

the ability to be sexualised is an acting requirement is reminiscent of the pin-up days, but is still more prevalent than ever.

In a world where cinema and the entertainment industry hold so much influence over public opinion and perceptions, it is vital that we see a definite attitude change. A shift at the top of the film food chain will undoubtedly ripple down and be felt amongst the common man, and is a long time coming.

So yes, Cannes Film Festival’s heel policy is archaic. It represents a small limb of a much larger monster, which, thanks to the endless courage of so many women, is being forced to rear its ugly head. Obviously, allowing flat shoes on the Red Carpet is not going to solve every problem. There has been monumental progress: the recent arrest of Harvey Weinstein alone is a victory, yet there is still much more that needs to be and could be done. The abolition of such a pointless shoe policy is one baby step for film, but a much more important step for actresses. God knows it’ll be a more comfortable step.

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study break

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STUDY BREAK CROSSWORD

Across

SUDOKU

Down

1 Foyer - meet a branch (anagram) (11)

1 Parisian’s 21 16? (5)

2 Anger (3)

4 Until later (3,3)

3 Single thing (4)

7 Full (with) (7)

4 Appearance (6)

8 Relative by marriage (2-3)

5 Rekindle (8)

10 Roman’s 21 16? (4)

6 Young nocturnal animal (with a hooter?)

12 Dark-haired person (8) (5)

14 Breach of the peace (6)

9 See 11

15 Horse’s building (6)

11/9 Berliner’s 21 16? (3,11)

18 Broadcast - bald zone (anagram) (8)

13 Osaka’s 21 16? (8)

20 Current affairs (4)

22 Indian yoghurt-based dish - tiara (anagram) 16 Type of extra run in cricket (3)

17 Small stone (6) (5)

19 Valencia’s 21 16? (5)

23 Studious (of tomes?) (7)

21 Having suitable qualities - virtuous (4)

25 Getaway (6) 24 Climbing plant (3)

26 Dye on (anagram) - senior (professor, for

example) (5)

ANSWERS

Trivia corner 1. Which country is the most popular holiday destination in the world?

2. which film held the record for best opening weekend in the summer of 2015?

3. Which rapper headlined reading and leeds festivals in 2013?

4. In which year was the hottest summer on record in the uk?

5. oN AVERAGE HOW MANY GLASSES OF PIMM’S ARE SERVED AT WIMBLEDON EVERY YEAR? 6. hOW MANY TIMES HAS LONDON HOSTED THE OLYMPIC GAMES? 7. HOW MANY SOLOISTS SING ON GREASE’S ‘SUMMER LOVIN’’?

6. 3; 7. 8 Trivia: 1. France, 2. Jurassic World; 3. Eminem; 4. 1976; 5. 320,000; .

21 Good, 24 Ivy 11/9 Auf wiedersehen, 13 Sayonara, 16 Bye, 17 Pebble, 19 Adios, Down: 1 Antechamber, 2 Ire, 3 Unit, 4 Figure, 5 Reignite, 6 Owlet, Bookish, 25 Escape, 26 Doyen.

Brunette, 14 Affray, 15 Stable, 18 Blazoned, 20 News, 22 Raita, 23 Across: 1 Adieu, 4 For now, 7 Teeming, 8 In-law, 10 Ciao, 12

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4 JUNE 2018 | EXEPOSÉ

Science

SCIENCE EDITORS:

Scarlett Parr-Reid Gabriel Yeap

Sweet dreams

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Lauren Geall explains why the extra hours spent in bed could improve our mental health

HEN you’re trying to juggle a social life, uni work and eating well amongst other things, it can be easy to forget the power of getting a good night’s sleep. Whilst it has previously been suggested that one in four students will suffer from mental health problems during their time at university, have we ever stopped to wonder whether our disregard for quality sleep could be playing a significant role in this issue?

Humans are the only species that deprive themselves of sleep for no reason So, do you need to be getting more sleep? Matthew Walker, sleep scientist and director of the Center for Human Sleep Science at the University of California, Berkeley, believes the problem is more widespread than we might think.

In a 2017 interview with The Guardian, Walker stressed his belief that we are in the middle of a “catastrophic sleeploss epidemic”, which may have serious consequences on many aspects of our health. Whilst in 1942, less than 8% of the population was trying to survive on six hours or less sleep a night, in 2017,

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In order to fix the problem, it might help to understand some of the science behind it. You may have heard of Circadian rhythms before, but have you ever

Image: Orangefox

stopped to wonder about their impact on you and your health? To put it simply, Circadian rhythms are the physical, mental and behavioural changes which

occur over a 24-hour period. Although they are endogenously generated (internally caused), they can be modulated by external factors such as light and temperature.

Indeed, Circadian rhythms are so integral to our physical and mental health because they can influence sleep-wake cycles, hormone release, eating habits and digestion, body temperature, and other important bodily functions. Without maintaining a proper schedule of sleep and activity, we run the risk of disrupting our Circadian rhythms, which can be detrimental to our mental health.

In a 2018 study into Circadian rhythms and their effect on our mental health, research showed that people who experience disrupted 24-hour cycles of rest and activity are more likely to have mood disorders, lower levels of happiness and greater feelings of loneliness.

Whilst no direct link between the two has been established, it is clear that a

Music to my ears

lack of sleep doesn’t put us in the greatest place to make informed, rational decisions in our day to day life.

One in two people survive on six hours or less sleep a night Walker agrees. He points out how the rhythms of sleep help us to cope with our day to day lives. In fact, deep sleep, the part where we have dreams, is a therapeutic state where we can shrug off the emotional strength of our experiences, making them easier to bear.

Not only that, but sleep affects our mood more generally. In children, sleeplessness has been linked to aggression and bullying; in adolescents, to suicidal thoughts. Insufficient sleep is also associated with relapse in addiction disorders.

With all this evidence in front of you, you might want to consider putting your head to the pillow a bit earlier tonight. It can be difficult to make time for sleep amongst the busy nature of our everyday lives, but the consequences of disrupting your Circadian rhythms may be more influential than you could ever imagine.

Gabriel Yeap, Science Editor, listens in on the latest developments in music therapy

OME people say that gravity is the most powerful force of nature, others argue that love is, while still others get downright nerdy and start sprouting out strong nuclear force theories. As a musician of more than 17 years, I would say that for me, music is the most powerful force of nature there is because it can affect me in more ways than any of the above mentioned combined. Music has the uncanny power to connect us to each other in a way neither poem nor painting can. It brings a heavenly calmness with it, as well as refreshing

Image: 3dman_eu

almost one in two people are. Resulting from a combination of stress, longer work hours, commuting and a lack of time for family and friends, we have decided to give up our sleep in order to feel fulfilled by our daily lives.

Walker also pointed out how the stigmatisation of sleep has played a huge factor in our daily decisions. “We have stigmatised sleep with the label of laziness. We want to seem busy, and one way we express that is by proclaiming how little sleep we’re getting. It’s a badge of honour.

We chastise people for sleeping what are, after all, only sufficient amounts. We think of them as slothful.”

“No one would look at an infant baby asleep, and say ‘What a lazy baby!’ We know sleeping is nonnegotiable for a baby. But that notion is quickly abandoned [as we grow up].

Humans are the only species that deliberately deprive themselves of sleep for no apparent reason.”

mental healing. But what does science have to say about this? Is it really a potential treatment or just wishful thinking?

Music therapist Jamie George defines music therapy as the use of music to obtain non-musical goals. Recently, the field of music therapy has begun to take off. It can treat a wide range of conditions including mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.

The important aspect of this kind of therapy to note is that it is not a one for all magic cure for all mental health ailments. Rather, because of the extent of complexities involved in mental health problems, combined with the fact that each individual faces the same problem differently, music therapy is often used in conjunction with doctors, nurses and social workers in most of the major mental health fields. These include long-term care, mental health facilities

and hospitals.

However, the kind of music used here is not Metallica’s ‘Sandman’ or Taylor Swift’s ‘Love Story’. It is not for passive enjoyment. The type of music used is very important. Each individual has the type of music tailored to him/ her to include themes such as death or grief to help the individual through the difficult emotions. It acts as a way for them to express emotions that would otherwise be unhealthy, or dangerous to face up to.

Music has the power to connect us to each other in a way neither poem nor painting can In fact, a recent study done in Edinburgh showed that Mozart’s sonatas can greatly reduce brain activity when

compared with other types of music such as the Teletubbies theme tune. New research into music research also suggests that it is indeed helpful for people suffering from PTSD due to war or sexual abuse. A review published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews showed that when coupled with traditional treatments such as medication and psychotherapy, there was a greater reduction in depression symptoms. In fact, the benefits of music span extend beyond individual benefits. But what’s the science behind this, I hear you ask?

Well, during post-traumatic periods, a subsystem of the brain called the default mode network is active, causing us to be trapped in the past. From an evolutionary standpoint it offers great benefits by allowing us to avoid the same situation again, but in our day and age, it brings only negative experiences. Music also activates the default

mode network but produces a very different outcome. It shifts our focus to the music leaving less mental capacity for our minds to wander into traumatic thoughts. It also affects deep emotional centres in the brain, priming the brain to cope with emotional trauma a lot easier by bathing the brain in a potent cocktail of feel-good neurochemicals.

Music is a powerful tool at our disposal to tackle mental health illnesses.

It is non-invasive and brings healing and therapy in a way that no other man-made concoction can ever hope to achieve. It is nature’s gift to all its inhabitants. If that does not convince you, perhaps consider the words of arguably one of the greatest musicians who was deaf and probably suffered from severe mental health problems: “Music is the mediator between the life of the senses and the life of the spirit”- Ludwig van Beethoven.

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Tash Ebbutt unravels the mystery of regeneration

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S the eleventh Doctor once said, “we all change when you think about it, we’re all different people all through our lives, and that’s okay”. This was on the cusp of his own regeneration, a process where the Doctor transforms into someone new. Alongside the Doctor, Marvel and DC characters have over the years garnered the ability to regenerate parts of themselves, one notable regenerator being Deadpool himself but is it possible?

Could the future allow regeneration of our fragile human bodies to happen?

Science hopes to prove so in its continual research on the subject.

First, it is important to consider what in our natural world harnesses the power of regenerative ability. Notable creatures include the axolotl, who can regrow everything from its limbs to its tail and spinal cord with absolutely no scarring. Similarly the starfish which can regenerate its limbs upon loss as long as the central nerve ring remains and even lizards who are sneaky in their regeneration. When fleeing from threats, they can detach their tail which acts as a distraction for the predator, regrowth of their tail will be completed within nine months max. Related to the starfish, the

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Nature's deadpool

SCIENCE

sea cucumber can regenerate to a much greater extent than the rest of its echinoderm family. When threatened, some types of cucumber can mutilate their own bodies as a defence mechanism.

This occurs through the contraction of their muscles which makes some of their internal organs emerge from their anus.

The missing organs are just regenerated with no issue. All of these marvellous creatures are being studied within the scientific sphere to try and understand whether human regeneration is possible.

The axolotl can regrow everything from its limbs to its spinal cord with no scarring Humans do possess some regenerative power in the sense our skin is constantly renewing itself and theoretically, if part of our liver is damaged it can repair itself. Unfortunately, this just isn’t as impressive as being able to hack off your arm and allow it to grow back – not that you’d want to injure yourself but c’mon, it would be kind of cool. With millions of people experiencing limb loss and organ failure, re-growing parts

of the human body would be an incredible breakthrough for the scientific community, as well as the human populace.

However, limb regrowth in humans is pretty complex as it involves bone, muscle, blood vessel and nerve regeneration which isn’t an easy feat. David Gardiner, a professor at the University of California, has determined that there are no special genes for regeneration.

Instead, the process is constructed of a series of steps. Some of these steps do not work in humans which prohibits as regenerative prowess.

Scientific studies are trying to unravel the reasons why humans fail certain steps which could easily trigger a solution in the future.

One study conducted by Michael Levin has determined the connection between electrical signals and regeneration. Previous work concentrated on the relationship between re-growth within stem cells and genetics. Levin’s hypothesis is working to prove the power of the electrical signals that command certain cells within the body. He has manipulated said signals to great success with four headed flatworms and unusual tadpole tail growth being products of his experiments. For the tadpoles, Levin

took an African Clawed frog and noted how the tadpoles of the species could grow back their tails in their first seven days of life, at around day eight, they

Images: Tinwe, Aasif_saifi

would begin to lose this capacity as they began to metamorphose into an adult frog and day ten would see the complete loss of this power. Levin pinpointed the electrical signal which controlled this regeneration by trying to work out what would stop the regeneration. Similar to the axolotl study, Levin used drugs to stop certain signals and established what triggered regeneration in the first place.

He then took a tadpole which was too old to regrow its tail and attached a cell

Mind games

wall pump that emitted certain signals.

After amputating the tail, the signal was sent and the tadpole regenerated a perfect tail. This is just part of Levin’s ongoing research on electrical signals and their regenerative potential.

Another study connected to the axolotl has demonstrated that certain molecular tweaks can pinpoint the key components of regeneration. For instance, one discovery proved that macrophages, cells which are part of the inflammatory response after injury, are connected to regeneration.

Certain drugs were harnessed to remove these cells from an axolotl before limb amputation. Instead of the usual re-growth, there are an increased accumulation of scar tissue which is very unusual in this creature. This is another example of scientists creating criteria for the components of regeneration.

There is infinite possibility with these studies and future research might reach a stage that could really help those in need. And who knows, maybe we will reach the point where we will all be dropping some profound words like the Doctor as we try and grow back the thumb we just lost as a result of chopping up some vegetables.

Elinor Jones takes a peek at the latest viral internet craze that's messing with our brains

T seems only yesterday we were all having (heated) debates about #TheDress. And no, I’m not talking about Meghan Markle’s wedding gown. Flashback to February 2015, and we were all caught in the ‘gold-andwhite’ or ‘blue-and-black’ discussion.

Fast-forward to 2018 and a new illusion has stormed the internet; this time an audio illusion, ‘Yanny’ or ‘Laurel’ has caused conflict and confusion among friends, family, colleagues and classmates. Is this your mind playing sneaky games with you? Or are these ‘games’ not actually games at all, but how your brain reacts to different sensory feedback?

The visual system detects colour and brightness, due to a region of specialised cells in the retina, at the back of

the eye: cells known as rods and cones that convert stimuli into electrical signals (action potentials). These are relayed to the occipital lobe in the brain. Rods -the photoreceptor cells that function in low light at the outer edge of the retina- are sensitive to light. They can detect differences in brightness, without the need to differentiate between wavelengths, or colours, of light. These rods contribute to optical illusions by cunningly tricking our brains into perceiving shades that aren’t really there! The process is called lateral inhibition: the ability of a neurone that’s excited to inhibit the excitation of neighbouring neurones.

So, it reduces the spread of action potentials. For example, the Mach Band Illusion, named after the physicist Ernst Mach, shows a black square with a sup-

posed gradient of shades from black to grey. However, when you separate these ‘bands’, they appear to be all one colour- black. It’s likely this phenomenon was the underlying cause of ‘that’ dress, hence leading us to perceive colours that weren’t really there.

Detection of many overlapping frequencies is termed 'acoustic ambiguity' But, what actually was the colour of the dress? If the Mach Band conjecture could support optical illusions, then visual ones, such as ‘Laurel or Yanny’, may also have a ‘simple’ explanation.

The fact is, it isn’t an illusion at all. We

hear sounds due to the vibration of air as it enters our specialised auditory system, with higher pitch sounds vibrating more, at a higher frequency, and vice versa.

When multiple overlapping frequencies are detected, neuroscientists call this "acoustic ambiguity", making it difficult to detect. Using a selectivity filter, it is possible to remove this ambiguity, such that over 4.5KHz (Hz is the unit of frequency, Hertz) you’re almost always likely to hear ‘Yanny’ but under this frequency it is common to hear ‘Laurel’.

Our brains are clever, also filtering sounds, only utilising an alternative type of filter.

Human brains filter sounds due to our past experiences, such that sounds are interpreted depending on processing in the primary and secondary auditory cortices. These areas take into consideration past experiences and contextual information, such as background noise, suggesting that expectation is involved in what you hear.

So, when you’re next trying to win a debate about the colour of a dress or the pronunciation of a word, mesmerise your friends and family with exactly how they’re minds are tricking them.

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Hallowed ground: the sa

Wil Jones, Sport Editor, examines the importance of Exeter City Foot

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HE first time is always special. Whether it’s the ghostly glow above the surrounding rooftops during a midweek kick-off, or the low rumble of thousands of voices shouting in unison at 3pm on a Saturday, you don’t forget it.

That aura, of course, emanates from St. James’ Park – the home of Exeter City Football Club - which can come as something of a shock to new students at the University that such an atmosphere exists so close to Streatham Campus.

It’s also worth reminding ourselves, as sport fans in Exeter, that we’re somewhat blessed to have two quality clubs right on our doorstep – a remarkable achievement for such a small city.

Whilst the Chiefs have become one of the best rugby teams in England, Exeter City Football Club (ECFC) continues to upset the odds in the lower tiers of the Football League.

It’s an achievement made even more remarkable considering City were hours away from going out of existence back in 2003. Instead of financial problems bringing an end to its 102-year existence, the football club was saved by its fans – bought by the Supporters’ Trust, which still retains a majority stake and comprises half of the board.

Fringed by rows of terraced houses, St. James’ Park sits in the heart of the student community in Exeter – a city where students comprise over 10% of all residents according to figures released by Exeter City Council in 2014,

Image: Exeter City Football Club

with that number rising to 19% in St. James. The marriage of the student and local communities has been particularly pertinent this season as the stadium undergoes renovation, with the Old Grandstand that backs onto Well Street being demolished in November 2017.

St. James' Park sits at the heart of the student community in the city The new grandstand, currently under development and projected to be completed before the beginning of next season, will also see another new build – a block of student accommodation that will sit behind the Big Bank terrace at the north east of the site.

In the week of Exeter’s final home game of the 17/18 season – the playoff final second-leg against Lincoln – I caught up with Nick Hawker, ECFC Supporters’ Trust Chairman, as well as a member of ECFC’s supporters’ group, the Red Legion, and Nick Marsden, Publicity Secretary for Exeter University’s Grecian Society to talk about the significance of the stadium and the club.

“The first game I watched was in 1969 – we lost 2-1 to Port Vale, but it didn’t put me off!”

I’m chatting to Hawker in the club’s boardroom that overlooks the ground. The sun is blazing down onto the turf, casting spectral flashes of colour in the spray of the sprinklers dotted around the pitch. Cameras are being installed onto the posts for the goal-line technology that will be used for Thursday’s game. With the scaffolding of the new grandstand overlooking it all, it’s a far cry from the lower-league football of yesteryear.

“I used to sit in the Old Grandstand with my dad,” says Hawker.

“When I was a kid I used to run newspaper copy from when journalists used to write by hand. I used to cycle down to Sidwell Street with the report in my hand.”

He looks across to the ground, with the builders busily working away on the Old Grandstand’s replacement.

“But I think you do have to move on,” he admits. Having started as a fan before leaving to work in London, Hawker returned to the club six years ago, initially as Secretary of the Supporters’ Trust before his reaching his present position.

“The history of the Trust is embedded in people’s minds and emotions more than anything and that determination to save the club is still the backbone of the Trust. It’s what we always go back to: no matter how hard it is [we always

think] ‘there’s nothing we can’t get over because we actually saved the club’.”

And, fortunately, saving the club is precisely what the Trust did. Formed in 2000 as a response to the then directors’ perceived mismanagement of the club, things came to a head following Exeter’s relegation from the football league in 2003. It was a surreal period in the club’s history – Uri Geller, famous for bending spoons and befriending Michael Jackson, was a co-chairman at the time.

Of more concern was the arrest of the chairman and vice-chairman over allegations of financial mismanagement, and Trust members Ian Huxham, Terry Pavey and Julian Tagg were appointed as directors of ECFC, before purchasing the club in September 2003 for £20,000.

Expectations have changed. A lukewarm cup of Bovril and pasty isn't enough anymore “This year it’s been 15 years, and we’ve stayed in the football league after coming out of the Conference [in 2008],” says Hawker. “The last two seasons have been really successful – it’s a great example of what you can do as a Supporters’ Trust.”

It was an F.A. Cup fixture against

Manchester United in 2005 that paved the way for ECFC’s regeneration from the brink of annihilation, and ironically, the Red Devils are related to the game that Hawker picks out as the moment his love affair with the club began.

“I remember beating Sheffield Wednesday 3-1 in a cup game which I really, really enjoyed – I think that was my first big game I went to see, and the week prior Sheffield Wednesday had beaten Manchester United so it was nicely set up.”

As with many fans, supporting City meant more than simply what happened on the pitch. Going to St. James’ Park was “the bedrock of the relationship I had with my dad”, explains Hawker.

“He started taking me to the football when I was old enough and I had a few years in my teens and early 20s when I wanted to be with my mates. But thereafter I was bringing him to games as he got older.

“I think Exeter especially foster that family togetherness. That’s what’s kept them going. Not long after he died, I retired early and took up a role on the Trust as the Secretary, and I’m now Chairman.”

Despite that familial link to the Old Grandstand, Hawker is clear that the redevelopment needed to take place.

“The upkeep of a wooden stand was significant – you’ve got the health and

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anctity of St. James' Park

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tball Club's stadium to the local community and student supporters alike

ST. JAMES' PARK in numbers

1904

Image: Jaggery

safety concerns every year and getting the licenses to be able to use it.

“Also, I think people’s expectations around what’s available on a matchday have changed significantly. It’s not a lukewarm cup of Bovril and a dodgy pasty anymore; people want a bit more than that. You’ve got to move with the times.”

The land where the stadium now sits used to be rented out for fattening pigs Which is what ECFC and St. James’ Park have had to do. The land where the stadium now sits had a more humble beginning – owned by Lady Anne Clifford, it was rented out for fattening pigs, with the proceeds paying for an apprenticeship of a poor child from the parish of St. Stephen.

Fast-forward to 1921, and the ground was bought by ECFC following the sale of star goalkeeper and Topsham man, Dick Pym – a method of growth that the current set-up is well versed with due to the club’s academy.

Hawker says: “Julian Tagg has to take a huge amount of credit for this in the way he’s managed and developed the academy. I think I read a piece the other day that Exeter have made more money in the last 3 seasons than all the other league two clubs put together through transfer fees. People like Matt Grimes [sold to Swansea for £1.75m in 2015], Ollie Watkins [to Brentford for a reported £1.8m], Ethan Ampadu [to Chelsea for a fee that could rise to £2.5m] – and we’ve got players in the academy now who are looking good.

“That’s been our financial model and our saving grace really because we don’t have the means to do the work we’ve wanted to in terms of ground development and training ground – bringing good players in who are going to help you succeed, you need that flow of

money, so without that, it starts to be a struggle.”

Further to their academy stars helping to pave the way for the club’s continuation and development, the building of a new block of student accommodation behind the Big Bank has funded the current redevelopment on the stadium. It can sometimes feel there is something of a divide between University students and the local residents – with the former usually here for three years before leaving.

I decided to see whether that effect was felt on the terraces by talking to two fans – one who is part of the Red Legion, the ECFC Supporters’ Group set up in 2015 to improve atmosphere and generate and identity with the ground and on away days, who asked to remain anonymous, and Nick Marsden, Publicity Sec of the University of Exeter’s Grecian Society.

“I think the students are more than welcome,” says the member of the Red Legion, “If someone wants to come and support the club, spend their money, and back the team, then who am I to say they shouldn’t be here? It does bug us sometimes when we see students wearing Exeter Uni green tops [the colours of rivals Plymouth] in our section.”

A new student block is being built behind the Big Bank “I get why residents were against the [accommodation] building and having more students in the area. But it is what it is.”

On the topic of St. James’ Park, he is adamant about its importance. “It’s our home,” he says. “It’s right in the city centre. A lot of the away days we go on, they’re out-of-town soulless bowls.” The appeal of the ground is heightened by the fact the Big Bank is the largest allstanding terrace left in the English Football League. “The Bank’s massive, obviously. It’s a big draw for a lot of us,” he

says. “[St. James’ Park] is home – and the redevelopment needed to be done, but I’d be gutted if we ever had to move.”

For Marsden, and many students who take the Grecians to their heart, ECFC and St. James’ Park is not home – yet that hasn’t stopped him from getting behind the club. “I’m a Blackburn fan,” says Marsden, “and it’s nice having the contrast between having really bad owners at my first club and then supporting a Trust-run club as my second.”

As with many students, the location of St. James’ Park came as a shock: “I remember going past the stadium early on [and] I was amazed how close it was to the Uni. I always planned on seeing games there.

“I went to see Wycombe in a cup game and saw Exeter pump them 4-2 – that got me into it,” Marsden says. Is there any threat of the Grecians becoming his first-choice club? “Never really,” he admits. “Although I’m really into City, they’re definitely my strong second team – I don’t support them that much to be first.”

Marsden admits he’s found himself drawn to the Big Bank and the atmosphere generated by the Red Legion. The member I spoke to admits it’s been an effort to generate the noise the ground currently emits: “Around three seasons ago, the atmosphere was atrocious – there was probably more atmosphere at Sandy Park than you would get here.”

But it’s one that comes with its rewards: “The idea was mooted on away days […] about lads getting involved and getting the atmosphere together. When we go to away days – we’ve been to Swindon, Portsmouth, Shrewsbury – they’re al sat-down and soulless. For the Red Legion, we couldn’t do what we do without [the Big Bank].

“When we have control of the atmosphere and get it going - I’ve been to Germany to watch football and it’s probably…I don’t want to say we’re up there with Germany and the Bundesliga, but we’re probably the next best thing in

this country.” *** The skeletal shadows of the new grandstand stretch across the turf, grazing the far touchline of the St. James’ Park pitch. A giant shirt bearing the name of the late Adam Stansfield, the former ECFC player whose foundation is championed by the club, is draped across the stand as the players make their way out of the changing rooms. The Big Bank erupts into cheers and cries of support.

90-minutes later and the Grecians have defeated Lincoln 3-1, with three incredible goals that send the fans delirious.

Fans spill out from the Big Bank onto the sodden pitch. The surface is scarred with stud-marks and patches of scorched earth from an uncharacteristically frosty spring.

As choruses of ‘que sera, sera’ herald the players as they head triumphantly back to the dressing room, in between the pillars of the new structure, and behind the houses that surround St. James’ Park, the sun has all-but set into thin bars of deep amber.

Flags wave. A flare is lit. According to reports, fisticuffs are thrown, too. Tonight, the Grecian faithful celebrate their second trip to Wembley in twelve months; 11 days later, they travel east along the arteries of England to the home of football – from St. James’ Park Station to Wembley Way, where their side succumbs to a second play-off final defeat in the space of 12 months.

Despite the undoubtable disappointment at falling at the final hurdle, and Paul Tisdale’s surprise refusal to sign a new contact with the club, the fact ECFC still exists, and EFL football is being played at St. James’ Park, is something to savour.

Tomorrow, the modernisation of St. James’ Park will continue: the stadium will fall silent until August, the bones of the new grandstand will be fleshed out, the grass will breathe in the summer sun. Until next season, when it all begins again.

To read this article in full, visit: exepose.com/category/sport

The year St. James' Park was built

6087 The current capacity of the ground due to the demolition of the Old Grandstand

90 Years the Old Grandstand, also known as the Stagecoach Family Stand, was standing for

1600 The expected capacity of the new stand

1654 When the land St. James' Park sits on was used as a site for fattening pigs

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SPORT EDITORS:

Bristol bowled over

Josh Brown Owain Evans Wil Jones

Image: Chelsea Lee

Men’s Cricket Bristol 1s ................................... 94 Exeter 1s ................................ 95-2 Josh Brown Sport Editor

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XETER University Mens’ Cricket Club 1s put up a dominant display to thrash Bristol 1s, winning the Varsity fixture by 8 wickets.

Bristol won the toss and opted to bat first on a hot day at Exeter Cricket Club, though were soon regretting their decision as opening bowler John Burden struck early, in both his first and second overs. He even took a third before the end of the powerplay – this coming after bowling partner Sam Harris got involved in the action too. Exeter had done superbly not only to make deep, early inroads into the Bristol batting lineup, but also not to concede many runs – after 10 overs, Bristol were 20-4.

Captain Ben Twine and Ethan

Bamber kept up the similarly impressive economy rate when they took the ball, with the latter claiming a wicket on his debut in the varsity fixture – an LBW decision that he confesses was a little high. Ultimately it was the second change that confirmed what seemed inevitable after the opening bowling spells. Ross Powell and Max Mannering bowled fantastically, and cleaned up what was left of a relatively weak middle order – Powell taking two wickets, and Mannering three – and Bristol were bowled out for 94, with just under half those runs coming from a batsmen who finished unbeaten on 42 not out – he was dropped on 0.

While the pitch may have been a difficult one to bat on, with such a low score to chase and so long to amass the runs, the Exeter innings appeared a formality from the outset.

The opening batsmen, Alex Sweet and Jack Marston, both batted well before falling, but a secure display from

Exeter’s top order – namely skipper Twine and James Fitzjohn – proved insurmountable for the Bristol bowling attack, and Exeter wrapped the game up comfortably.

It was the second change that confirmed what seemed inevitable Because the game finished so early, the two sides agreed to play another game – a modified limited overs format with ten overs per side – that was in Bamber’s words, ‘utter carnage’. Exeter went into bat first, and the top order swung for the hills, though without much success – the men in green found themselves 20-6 at one stage, but recovered well to finish on 84, setting Bristol a target of 85 to win. The visitors, in turn, got much closer than in the formal

game, but fell just short, finishing on 82, meaning Exeter won both games – the first by 8 wickets, the second by just two runs.

After the game, I caught up with Ethan Bamber, fresh from his first appearance in the fixture, and he praised the great support the team received on the day – attendance was estimated to be around 1500, with a fantastic atmosphere and a beautiful day to play cricket. The hills of Exeter may be a far cry from the mountains of Queenstown, New Zealand, where Bamber played for England in the U19 World Cup back in January, but he remains humble, displaying a rare maturity for his age, confessing his luck with a few umpiring decisions both with England and with Exeter.

He takes nothing for granted, despite having already signed a summer contract with a first-class county side in Middlesex and appearing in a cricket World Cup - he is just as comfortable talking about professional

sporting contracts as he is about his life at university.

The mix of international and domestic cricketing commitments and university combine to give Bamber great satisfaction and, in its own way, safety: in his own words, cricket can be a fleeting career and he recognises the importance of fall-back options.

His course has had to be flexible – his Image: Owain Evans Theology studies have been disrupted by the World Cup trip to the southern hemisphere, for example, and his professional summer contract with Middlesex shouldn’t be disregarded either; from March to September he is essentially a professional cricketer.

The passion both for cricket and for academic success is clear; but what is even clearer is that EUMCC have a serious talent on their hands.

Exeter: Twine (C), Slade †, Marston, Sweet, Fitzjohn, Patel, Bamber, Mannering, Powell, Mortimer, S Harris, Burden.

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